


Purple Wings, Aqua Springs

by sea_dragon, squadhanjis



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Summer Camp, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Rivals to Lovers, Summer Camp, Summer Romance, Umal, chad is still an asshole, mal is an artist obviously, there's lots of little mermaid references in here we won't lie to you
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-17
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:14:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24778225
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sea_dragon/pseuds/sea_dragon, https://archiveofourown.org/users/squadhanjis/pseuds/squadhanjis
Summary: Uma has worked at her Mother’s camp every summer since she could walk, and this summer looked like it was going to be just like every summer before it. What Uma didn’t realise is that this summer, her feelings were going to be as hot as the weather, that the rules she’d made for herself were going to be broken, and that she wasn’t only going to get a counsellor, but a new partner in crime through a poorly made bet and some snotty kids. Mal couldn’t say she was expecting it either.An Umal Summer Camp! AU.
Relationships: Chad Charming/Harry Hook, Mal/Uma (Disney)
Comments: 22
Kudos: 34





	1. devil's roll the dice, angels roll their eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> hello!  
> so this is yet another umal fic, written by yours truly and @sea_dragon <3  
> i (alice) am writing from uma's pov, and val is writing from mal's pov, so it's my chapter first and then val's and so on.  
> we're really excited about this, it's been in the works for about three months before we even dreamt of posting the first chapter and it's really our child so we hope you love it just as much as we do.
> 
> as ever, this was inspired by music, and we have a playlist dedicated to this fic, with every chapter being a song from the playlist.
> 
> listen while you're reading ! : https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5W7oXWwTejdeovyaidhZdr?si=uuj5luXBSU2Gl7FZ8PWvJg
> 
> enjoy. <3

UMA

_“Fuck.”_

Uma saw stars, her hands shooting down instinctively to her foot, where the blooming pain was making its way from throughout her left side.

“You alright, Uma?”

Gil was at her side in an instant, his amber eyes wide, his hand gripping at the exposed dark skin of her shoulder, checking Uma over for any damage. As unnecessary as that level of anxiety was, Uma smiled through the pain at Gil’s worry, he was so pure without realisation, and Uma often found herself wondering what she’d done in her previous life to deserve such an innocent soul as her best friend in this one. (Uma was a strong believer in past lives, not to the point where it was all spiritual and shit, but she thought the idea of reincarnation was cool. Her and Gil were convinced she had been something majestic, like a dolphin or a Great White shark. Chad, another counsellor at the camp, laughs when they bring it up and says she’s full of it, and that she probably would have been something ugly and clumsy, like an octopus and a squid. Usually, that’s when Uma tells him where to put it.)

“I’m good,” she breathes through clenched teeth, wiggling her left foot, slowly bringing back the feeling in her limbs.

“I think that was the last kayak, anyway,” Gil rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. “Thanks again, Shrimps, for helping me do this. I can’t believe I didn’t check the schedule.”

“What did I say about calling me that-” pain forgotten, Uma grabs Gil into a chokehold, cackling and mussing up his blonde curls into golden waves.

Despite the fact he’s got a good three inches on her height-wise, Uma was strong, her body lean from years of manual work around the camp, as well as teaching water sports to the campers every year. _Aqua Springs_ was her Mom’s summer camp, just off the coast of Pennsylvania, and it was her home – she couldn’t ever remember a time without this place in her life. It was her space, her comfort zone. She spent her infant years running around as a camper with the younger groups, until Ursula appointed her as a camp counsellor once she’d left school. It was a pretty sweet gig, and Uma knew she had it lucky to spend summers at a place like this, and she’d never wanted to leave her Mom to run this place on her own. Uma had become like a second-in-command when things got stressful.

It was times like this, though, when she couldn’t help but question her decision of agreeing to stay this summer. Every year before the campers get here, the counsellors usually all pitch in to carry out any essential repairs, maintenance, and general tasks to regenerate the camp. Usually, they start a couple weeks before everyone gets here; that way it was all done in time, with little to no stress. Their routine was like a well-oiled machine, it had certain timeframes, and it worked smoothly, efficiently. This year however, it was a slightly different story, and as unofficial directing assistant, compliments of being the owner’s daughter, Uma had been stuck fixing it. Gil was a saint, an angel, but efficiency was not his strong suit. Usually, the first week of camp was dedicated to getting the campers comfortable and settled in, with tours, hikes, and activities that eased them into the outdoors lifestyle. It was only after the campers had their confidence and wits about them did the programme venture out into more intense activities, but this year they’d had some renovations over the winter, which meant that this order had been slightly switched up.

Gil hadn’t read the schedule, the schedule that Uma had sent out only about _thirty million emails for_ and hadn’t realised that kayaking had been moved to the first week of camp. Not a big deal, except the fact that the kayaks were stored in the cabins up in the mountains over the winter to prevent decay, and that was where they sat, or were sat, until Uma was stuck helping Gil hoist them down at four in the morning. It was now six. She loved Gil but Uma swore she could’ve _killed_ him when she realised last night, sat by the main camp bonfire with the rest of the counsellors after the last minute preparations, that there was a distinctly empty dock and a noticeable lack of kayaks. She wasn’t usually one to judge, everyone has their shit going on – but when she remembers that she shouldn’t even be awake yet, does she have to stop herself from feeling that _tiniest_ bit pissed. She’d sworn a lot last night. She should be greeting families, giving out baked goods and welcome packs, not lifting fifty-pound kayak boats into the back of a truck at the top of a mountain, only to be rewarded by one dropping on her foot and almost _paralysing_ her.

It wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle, though. Harry had a field day when it happened, jumping at the opportunity to sign her up to help in order to take her place as front of house, rather than being on repairs for the day. The asshole. Whereas Gil was the angel of their trio, being the youngest, Harry was the middle child that took the ultimate pleasure in being as annoying as possible when he wanted; and when it came to Uma, he always wanted to be. Gil had come to Springs when he was eighteen – the cut-off age – and then had asked to come back the next year as an employee. He had come back every summer since.

With Harry, it was different, and as much as Uma hated any form of elitism, it probably had a little bit to do with why Harry especially held a special place in her heart. Harry came from a really troubled background that he didn’t really talk about, at least not to anyone that wasn’t Uma – even Gil didn’t know the full extent of it – and he’d come here as a young boy, ordered by the court, as part of a rehabilitation programme. Aqua Springs was a summer camp, but it also had a reputation for taking in ‘problems’; Uma had seen a lot of troubled kids come and go over the years. Springs provided an almost-haven, a healing space. It hadn’t started out that way, but Springs had become a place for kids like Harry to come and work through their trauma. Uma had hated him at first, he was all unprovoked aggression and spiteful attitude like a wounded animal or, in a young Uma’s opinion, a spoiled brat. Uma had always been a tomboy from the get-go, but she remembered wondering what his problem was, why he was so angry all the time. It wasn’t until Harry had gotten into a brawl with some nasty kids in the older groups and was close to getting the shit ripped out of him, did they start seeing eye-to-eye. It had taken Uma stepping in and handing the kid’s asses to them for Harry, for him to start respecting her, and for their newly found friendship to start. With Harry, actions spoke louder than words, and Uma guess it made sense – it took a couple years, but she’d found out that his dad was an esteemed member of The Pirates, a notorious gang on the east coast. As a result, he’d grown up in a violent home, until the state had taken him into their care, and brought him to Springs. Like Gil, he hadn’t left since. This place had that effect on every person that came here; it touched you, stayed with you. It really was a special place.

“It’s alright, hen, you’ll enjoy it. Plus, we can’t let the other counsellors think this camp runs on nepotism. This is a family establishment, after all.” Harry had crooned with a shit-eating grin as he ran off to switch their places on the welcome week rota.

That was how Uma found herself, at now-seven in the morning, driving a camp truck back down the mountain towards camp with Gil, tired before the day was even close to being underway. It was about a forty-five-minute drive from the base of the mountain to the storage cabins, and they drove in silence for the most part, not wanting to disturb the early-morning serenity. The sun was just starting to rise, and it made the drive pleasant. Gil turned on the radio quietly about half-way through, smooth music accompanying them on their way down. He clears his throat, and Uma knows what’s coming. She’s been avoiding this talk.

“What do you think this year is going to be like?” he speaks lightly, eyes trained on the road, almost as if he’s dipping his toes before fully submerging. Uma takes a moment to respond to what she knows is a loaded question, her grip tightening on the wheel.

“Like every year. It’ll be good.”

“Yeah, summers here are always great… It’s just-”

“You don’t have to do this, Gil, I’m fine.”

He shifts in his seat, visibly uncomfortable.

“Of course, you’re Uma, you're a badass.”

“Damn straight.” And she thinks that’s the end of it.

“But- and I’m saying this because I care. You went through a lot this year, Umes, with everything that happened with…” he pauses.

“You can say her name, Gil. Audrey.”

He winces at that, and Uma’s knuckles go white against the worn steering wheel. She loved Gil, but he liked acting up, getting all in his feelings and shit. That wasn’t Uma’s scene – feelings didn’t need to be talked out, they needed to be _worked_ out through intense manual labour and repair work. Old-school style.

She can see Gil out of the corner of her eye, steeling himself up. Uma is unapproachable at the best of times, but even Gil and Harry knew when to err on the line of caution with her, for Uma’s infamous rampages can only be described as storms.

“Are you sure _another_ summer here is what you need? I’ve seen your maps, Uma, there’s so much of the world you want to see. Weren’t you and Audrey planning to go travelling this summer?”

“Yeah, we were. And then she cheated on me. I hope you get to the point soon.” She’s silent for a moment. “Anyway, I couldn’t let Mom down. She needs all the help she can get with running this place.”

Gil sighs. He knows he’s lost this round.

“I just think that…” he sighs, turning round to face her. Uma keeps her eyes trained on the road ahead, her eyes narrow, and jaw tense. “You’re twenty-one this year, you know? There’s a whole world out there, and Ursula’s been meaning to hire an assistant director for years anyway.”

Uma’s response is to turn up the radio for the remainder of the journey down the mountain, which causes Gil to sigh and turn back to face the road. _He’s too caring for his own good,_ Uma thinks to herself, choosing to focus on the soft melody drifting from the radio. It drowns out the incessant voice in her head reminding her that what Gil had just told her, she’d told herself a thousand times before.

~

When they drive back onto the campgrounds and unload the kayaks into the dock, it’s gone nine, and there’s only fifteen minutes left of breakfast. Gil and Uma rush to grab themselves breakfast burritos to eat on the go, along with an extra for Harry and make their way to Springs’ welcome reception, held in the camp’s main hall, where the rest of the counsellors are setting up for the arrival of this year’s campers. The groups are split into groups by age; the youngest being guppies, all the way to the dolphins, the stingrays and the sharks being the oldest campers – every group has a stall at the reception with counsellors that are assigned to that group waiting to meet their assignments. When they enter the main hall, Harry shoots the two a toothy grin, his white teeth glinting against olive skin and dark hair. When he got here, he was pale and sickly, but working here has painted his skin a permanent light olive-tone.

Uma chucks the spare burrito his way, and he rips into it without saying a word, causing Uma to raise an eyebrow.

“Really took advantage of that extra hour in bed, didn’t you? You look like shit.”

Harry flips her off and carries on devouring the food in his hands. They all eat in companionable silence, any residual tension from the morning’s conversation dissipating with every bite of egg, tortilla, and bacon. Aqua Springs was renowned for its food among its other aspects; Ursula only bought the best, and their chef Louis was renowned. Only once they’d finished did Harry wipe down his lap and utter his first sentence of the morning.

“The list looks good this year. The Smee twins are back, they’ve moved up to dolphins. Dizzy’s going to be the leader of the stingrays this year, I think. A few of the sharks are returning too, but the numbers are up even higher this year. We’ve also got a new counsellor coming today, she kinda signed up last minute apparently. It’s gonna be a busy one.”

Uma nods, taking it all in. Springs was one of the most prestigious camps, but by no means the biggest. It was a family operation essentially, which meant that they often had a lot of returners alongside the mass of new faces every year. She didn’t know anything about the new counsellor, though, Ursula must have signed off on that this morning while she was busy with the kayaks. She makes a mental note to catch up with her Mother later today. Families and campers had started to trickle in now, the atmosphere slowly livening up – the counsellors becoming more excited and animated with every greeting they uttered. This year was going to be a good one, Uma was assigned to sharks this year with Harry, and Gil was with the guppies. He was good with kids, Gil was good with everyone, but especially children. He was a stellar human, and while Uma and Harry had been reluctant to adopt him into the fold, they now couldn’t imagine life without their little six-foot ray of sunshine. Harry calls him their golden retriever, and Uma hates to admit it, but it’s entirely too accurate.

~

The afternoon goes by in a blur, the camp abuzz with adrenaline and excitement. Uma got taken away from the reception pretty quickly to tend to things behind the scenes, leaving Harry to man the sharks stall with a few other counsellors. At least Chad wasn’t arriving for a couple days, Harry and Chad did _not_ get along and it made it difficult for Uma to navigate leadership and assignments. They were like children on the playground, they couldn’t be left alone together for too long before they were at each other’s throats. If anyone wanted Uma’s opinion, they just needed to rip each other’s clothes off. She was so close to placing a bet on it to happen by the end of the summer.

Uma was just finishing up sorting out an issue with one of the stingray’s cabins when she felt a small pair of arms wrap around her stomach. Turning round, she’s greeted with a small girl sporting about ten different patterns on her clothes, four different colours in her hair and a huge pair of glasses on a small face.

“Dizzy!” Uma wound her arms around the young camper in an instant. Uma didn’t really have that maternal feelings that other women her age did, but she had a soft spot for Dizzy. She’d been coming since she was a guppy.

“Hey, Uma.” Dizzy looked up at Uma, grinning with a mouth full of gaps. She lets go of Uma, and gestures to another camper next to her.

“This is Celia, my best friend. I convinced her to come with me.”

Uma crouches down and extends her hand to the girl standing next to Dizzy. Celia looks Uma up and down, her dark brown eyes clearly searching for something. She must see it, because she extends out her hand, the hundred bangles and bracelets on it jingling in the wind.

“Yo,” she grins.

Uma smiles back, understanding exactly how these two girls are best friends. Dizzy can only be described as an explosion of colour, and Celia’s accessories and dyed fuchsia afro are fucking _badass,_ Uma muses to herself. She was never that cool at fourteen.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Uma. Are you guys all settled in?”

They both nod enthusiastically, practically vibrating with energy. Dizzy gestures back to the main hall, where the last of the campers are arriving.

“Harry told us to come get you. He said you abandoned him with imbeciles.”

Uma throws her head back, the first genuine laugh she’s had all day. Of course, Harry Hook is lonely and bored doing a duty he threw her under the bus to get. She made a mental note to pick up cookies for him on the way.

“Sounds serious, I better go save him. See you girls later.”

The two girls run off in the direction of their cabin, and Uma follows suit in the direction of the main hall, swinging by the kitchens en-route.

~

 _If Harry is still annoyed at me after these, I’m gonna kick his ass,_ Uma thinks to herself, looking down at the peanut butter cookies in her hand as she walks briskly across the lawn in front of the main hall. It had taken a lot of sweet talking to get these from Chef Louis, he was in one of his infamous tempers, and was wielding an insanely sharp knife, and Uma swore she saw herself canned as fish food at one point during the whole exchange.

Uma’s thighs were burning by the time she got to the hall, she’d almost run here in order to avoid a Harry Hook meltdown. When he sees her, Harry launches into a tirade of loyalty and comradery, and practically pounces on the cookies she still had in her hands, inhaling them as if he hadn’t eaten for a week.

“Yo,” she looks up halfway through Harry’s rant, and knits her eyebrows. “Have all the sharks signed in?”

He nods, mid-bite, probably thankful for the interruption. “Yeah, the last one just signed in about five minutes ago. Also, there’s been a change of plans with our assigned cabins.”

Uma’s head whipped to face Harry at an impressive speed. “How big a change of plans? Since when? I haven’t signed off on anything.”

Harry shrugs, attention still focused on the cookies.

“Ask your mom, she signed off on it this morning. Gil’s now on guppies, and you’re on stingrays.”

“ _What?”_ Uma was agitated; this was the first she’d heard of it. Where did her Mom get off on making all these last-minute decisions without her? This wasn’t a usual occurrence; everyone knew that Uma had a say in the running of the camp, she was the only other person that knew the camp better than Ursula herself. She was _definitely_ going to confront her mom later, first the counsellor, then the assignments – this was meant to be a good summer, working with her friends, drinking after hours and it was becoming apparent that this wasn’t in her mother’s plans for her.

“Yeah, you’re with the newbie. Apparently, she’s got a bit of an attitude problem, so Ursula probably thought you’d be a good fit. I think her name was… Was it Mel? Melody?”

Uma hums thoughtfully and looks at the registry form. If this girl is going to be her charge and is going to be _trouble,_ Uma needs to know what she’s going to be dealing with, right? Her curiosity is piqued, that’s all. She looks down the list, searching for something that sounds right, until she comes to the last name, sprawled messily across the page in purple ink.

_Bertha, Mal._

“Mal,” she reads from the list, quietly. Harry looks up from wiping crumbs from his staff shirt.

“Mal, that’s it. I knew it was something weird. Anyway, she came through here this morning, I think she’s in cabin four. Why don’t you go give her a warm welcome; give her some of your camper spirit, show her the ropes?”

Harry was winding her up, his voice full of fake perkiness. Uma knew he was doing it to get at her, but it didn’t stop her from rolling her eyes and tugging her hands through her aqua-dyed braids out of stress.

“ _Fine._ I’ll go, but only if you agree to convince Gil to come tonight.”

Harry huffs at that. The first night of every summer, the counsellors and staff members have one last party before the hard work kicks in, and until they have to wait until the bonfire blowout at the end of the summer to celebrate another successful year. Uma and Harry never missed it but getting Gil to come was another story. They were determined to persuade him this year.

She leaves him at that, not bothering to listen to his response. This morning had not been the greatest for Uma, and the early start was starting to get her. She had been planning to maybe grab a couple minutes of rest before the welcome activities and party later in the day, but now she had to go and spend the afternoon inducting the newbie into the ‘Springs way’. The other counsellors had already had theirs last week, along with their health and safety training, it was essential every year before the campers arrived. Uma hated doing it every year, she could practically recite it in her sleep, and now she had to do it with this girl, Mal.

Uma isn’t paying attention to the path in front of her, the blueprints of the grounds are practically imprinted on the backs of her eyes, so she’s not paying attention when she collides with something to the entrance of cabin four. Snapping her head up, she locks eyes with deep purple and audibly gasps.

Stood in front of her was a girl, not much younger than herself, with bright violet eyes – _could eyes even be purple?_ Uma also notices her hair that’s dyed to match, albeit a poor job, but it does the trick. Her face has a pixie-like shape to it, small petite features accentuated by huge eyes and pale skin. Uma hadn’t really noticed anyone since the whole Audrey thing went down, but even she could appreciate this girl was _gorgeous._ Uma finds herself straightening up, embarrassment flushing through her, which is an alien feeling. She plasters on a smile, ready to turn on her tomboyish charm. Instead, she’s left speechless.

“Watch where you’re fucking _going,”_ the girl snarls, proceeding to stalk off in the direction of the beach.

_What the hell?_

Uma can feel her mouth hanging open, complete and utter shock rendering her rooted to the ground, looking like a complete fool. Her brain fails to even comprehend the fact that someone had just spoken to her like that. She didn’t think anyone had _ever_ spoken to her like that before, no one had ever dared and lived to tell the tale. Somehow, this 5-foot, skinny little _fairy,_ for lack of a better word, had basically hissed curses at her. She probably hadn’t realised Uma was a counsellor, which would be a fun moment to have later if she was a camper. But, as Uma watches the purple nest of curls become smaller as the girl disappears over the sandy horizon, she puts it together. The purple ink, the purple hair. The cabin. The attitude. Uma wanted to scream. At her mother, at her cruel misfortune, at the world, she’d take literally anything.

 _That_ was the new counsellor.

This was going to be the longest summer of her life.


	2. love, war, pain, life, everything's the same to me.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi i'm val !  
> i'm the other author of this fic, and i'm writing mal's pov.  
> this is my first time publishing any of my writing so i'm super excited.  
> i hope you love our lil angsty mal just as much as i've loved writing her!
> 
> ps, here is our playlist so enjoy,,  
> happy pride month! <3 
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5W7oXWwTejdeovyaidhZdr?si=93-pbVKOSg23rebDSVApKg

“Jay? Can you hear me?" 

Her friend’s frozen face was staring at her in confusion, almost mocking her bad luck, and did nothing to soothe the increasing anger she already felt.

A muffled " _Mal?_ " was heard from the other line with interference, and after a couple of seconds, the facetime call was cut off, leaving Mal alone in the strange, empty cabin room.

"This has to be a fucking joke." 

Even if they were in the middle of a forest, like something plucked straight out of Twilight, surely, they would have to have a good internet signal, right? Apparently not. It was one frustration after another, and all Mal wanted to do was scream. And that’s exactly what she did; she took the pillow from the new bed underneath her and screamed out her frustrations against it.

She didn't ask to be in this place, she didn't want to take care of little demons who were young enough to not know who Freddie Mercury was, and who surely required too much attention for her to give. She wanted to be with her friends, going to parties and getting drunk, with the possibility of drunk tattoos after.

She didn’t know why she had let her mother drag her to this place, perhaps it was because at the time she felt guilty for making Maleficent so angry. Mal was not an angel by any stretch, and she was the first one to admit it. She was not the perfect daughter her mother had dreamed of having, and she certainly didn't make things easy for her, either. Mal had always been troubled; she’d been kicked out of countless schools over the years. And in the few where she was allowed to stay, she always caused problems, either by leaving when she shouldn't, talking back to the professors, or vandalizing private property. Admittedly, that was one time, but it was _bad._

She’d never been good, but when her parents told her that they were going to get a divorce, her antics were taken a step too far, even for her. In search of revenge, she’d sold away all her father’s expensive watches and her mother’s fine jewelry and used the money to get her dragon tattoo. Even looking at the tattoo now, no matter how fucking _awesome_ it was, she knew that she had exceeded her forgiveness card. In addition to having spent a small fortune in the most stupid way possible, her parents sat her down and gave her an ultimatum - almost as if they were a family from a 00’ film: either she went to her father's friend's camp to work as a counsellor, to work on herself and for others, or the they were going to disown her. 

At first, she couldn’t answer, the truth was that she truly felt awful once the reality of what she’d done sunk in, but her stubbornness and pride wouldn’t let her admit that. So, she’d packed her bags and silently got in the car with her mother to go to the place that was going to be her home for the next few months. But now that she was there, she wished she had cried, she wished she had given her opinion, and she wished she had caused a scene. 

Now, sitting on a dingy bed in a cramped cabin, she realized she missed her train and now she was stuck. 

Interrupting her thoughts was the ringtone coming from her phone. She lifts her face from the pillow, only to growl when she sees her mother’s caller ID.

"What do you want now, mom?"

" _Don't talk to me like that!_ "

"Sorry," Mal sits up and puts the call on speaker. "What does my dear loving mother require of me now?"

Her mother's sigh was loud through the receiver. " _We agreed that you were going to call me once you settled yourself in your cabin. Well?_ "

"Oh, my bad. It's just that I'm still removing dried leaves from my ass, but I swear I was just about to call you.” 

" _Mal Bertha! You're not even trying. This isn’t going to work if you keep this attitude. You don't have to see this as punishment.” If_ her mother heard her snort at that, she didn't let on. “ _But rather as an opportunity. You need to learn that the world doesn’t revolve around you and do something useful for once.”_

"Yes, I’m sure that picking up berries with Hansel and Gretel will transform me into a new woman. Remind me to thank you in advance."

" _You’re impossible. If you are so against the decision we made with your father, is it so difficult to communicate with actual words instead of acting like an immature child who doesn't know how to behave?_ ”

"I don't know, _mother_ ," Mal remarks, mockingly. "I still haven't had a summer epiphany."

" _That's it, I’m not going to continue talking to you. Just know that I will talk to Ursula every day about your progress and conduct, and know that as soon as she tells me that you're acting up, next time it won’t be a camp we send you to, but boarding school. After being cut off from our credit cards, of course._ ”

"Let me ask you, who will take me to the boarding school? You? Or on Mondays will I be daddy's little girl? I wouldn’t be surprised if the schedules were already fixed. I’m nineteen Mom, I’m not your little princess anymore.”

Her mother ends the call, leaving her burning with a range of emotions in her chest. She was acting like a child and she knew it. Mal was almost 20 years old, she couldn't be this bothered that her parents were getting a divorce. And yet, everything was more complicated than that. Because Mal knew something that her mother didn’t, and it was eating her inside.

Hades, her Father, was leaving Maleficent for another woman. He was having an affair. Mal didn't know if her mother was aware of her father's lover, but _she_ knew of her existence and the guilt almost ate her up at times. It wasn’t her secret to tell, but the burden of knowing was rotting her from the core. (It had been for several years now.)

It didn't bother Mal that they got divorced, it bothered her that it took them so long, and that they’d dragged it out throughout her childhood, and she knew that everything was going to change because of that. 

In order to let out her exasperation in the only way she knew how, Mal takes a single black pencil and her sketchbook and storms out of the cabin. In the corner of her vision she swears that she saw something aqua moving away, and she definitely feels the collision of it bashing into her side, but she doesn’t turn to verify what it is. Instead choosing to hurl a curse at the inconvenience, Mal makes her way to the shore; she only has one thing on her mind, and she wasn't about to stop for anyone.

A few hours ago, when she had arrived, Ursula, the camp’s director, had given her a tour. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; there were cabins, a pool, and miles and miles of green grass. Fascinating. What had caught her attention, however, was the beach, because in the middle of the shore lay a giant rock, so monumental that it even exceeded the height of the lifeguard tower. It resembled that of the mountains surrounding the camp, its own peak in the ocean.

Her combat boots weren't made for walking on sand, much less rock climbing, but Mal struggles her way up anyway. Only once she gets to the top of the rock does she take a deep breath, closing her eyes and letting the pure salty breeze carry her concerns to the bottom of the sea. Creativity hits her, _hard,_ and like a habit she never wants to be rid of, her hand begins to move across the paper to draw the lines that were forming in her mind. Many would describe her art works as volatile and dark because of her colour choice and the creation of amorphous monsters that didn’t respect the human anatomy. They had horns and other nondescript details that weren’t necessarily natural, but what people didn’t understand was that these features, and her moody palette could express many more emotions and sentiment than a generic bright yellow sun or a still life painting of flowers. She felt as though her work allowed her to understand the world in its true form. Her inventions were sharp, concise, and left no room for doubt. And there was something liberating about creating something beautiful and complex with things that everyone perceived as bad. 

Plus, Mal made up for it by using purple when she felt it was necessary.

“Usually when you bump into someone by accident, you apologize to the other person. Instead of just, running away without looking back.”

But just like that, the dimension she was living in trying to recover, momentarily exploded. Searching for the owner of that voice, Mal was greeted with an explosion of aqueous colour and stark contrasts. A girl with a strong jaw and tinted braids was looking back at her apathetically. She’s wearing what she recognizes as the counsellor’s uniform, but Mal hasn't seen her before, though her face is vaguely familiar. Absent-mindedly, she wonders if the girl had highlighter on her cheekbones or if her bronze skin naturally shone like that against the early morning sun.

"Good to know, let me write it down on my _I don’t give a fuck_ list." Mal manages to say it with hoaxed vexation, even though she was still concentrating on studying the stranger's warm features. Something in Mal made her think that Camille Corot would have liked to paint her, with more neutral hues than she would choose, and a wild technique to match her vibe. 

"Could you also write down to _watch your mouth_ when we start working with the kids?"

Mal was taken aback; this girl acts as if she’s immune to Mal’s spiteful tone, and she doesn’t look impressed by her acerbity. Now, that’s a first.

"It's nothing they haven't heard before from their parents."

"And yet, it’s still something you shouldn’t do around them."

Mal’s patience is running thin. There are only so many things she’s willing to let a pretty girl get away with, and today is not this one’s lucky day. 

“Excuse me, did I break something I have to pay for? Or did you want to get somewhere with this conversation?”

The lack of reaction from the girl is more intriguing than irritating. Usually, pressing buttons and pushing people’s nerves was a speciality of Mal that she took pride in, she could read them in an instant and know what could bother them in a matter of seconds to use it to her advantage (Sure, perhaps that was the reason why she could count how many friends she had with only one hand. Not that she cares). But with this girl, it just wasn’t working. Even her usual trick, relentless hostility, just isn’t cutting it.

"You know," The last thing Mal expects is for the girl to start climbing onto the rock and collapse next to her, but that’s exactly what she does, scooting her to the side to avoid falling. (It’s a possibility that Mal is staring at this girl’s arms flexing longer than she probably should, because holy _fuck,_ but she’s never going to admit it.)

Now that she’s close enough, Mal leans to read the name tag attached to her chest.

_Uma_. For some reason, the unusual name suits her. 

"You know, there’s a lot of folklore about this rock.”

The change of topic throws Mal, but she goes with it.

“About a rock? You can’t be serious.”

Uma holds her hands up, grinning. “I swear, there’s an ancient legend we tell every year to the young kids.”

Excitement distracts her from her stupor, and it’s not just because she likes the superstitious. Mal is a bitch for urban legends, anything slightly supernatural or conspiracy-like, so even old tales are like gold to her. Mal would tell anyone that listened; UFOs are definitely hidden by the government, mermaids definitely existed (hello, only 5% of the ocean has been explored, of course they exist), and garden gnomes are definitely magical creatures.

Trying not to show that her curiosity was piqued, Mal replies in a bored tone, “You don’t say.” 

“Yeah, there was this siren that used to live around this shore, her name was Ariel. She used to fight a lot with her dad, some even say she was the princess of these parts, and her dad was the controlling king. Anyway, when she turned fifteen, she was allowed to go to the surface.”

Mal listens intently, and she’s not really sure if she believes it or not, but she stays quiet either way, and Uma carries on the story.

“When she took her head out of the water for the first time, she saw a human prince and instantly fell in love with him.” Each word comes out with a perfect intonation painfully planned to keep you interested in the story, and Mal can tell it’s not the first time Uma’s told this story, and it probably isn’t going to be the last. “Amid rockets and fireworks, a terrible storm caused a shipwreck. The little siren swam to save her prince, and took him to the shore, where she sang to him until he regained consciousness.” Uma points ahead of them, referring to how the two people had met right in front of where they’re sat now. “When he woke up, he was captivated by the beauty and beautiful voice of this strange girl. The siren panicked, they were never supposed to reveal themselves to humans, so she returned to the sea.”

Mal keeps her eyes trained on the spot Uma had pointed to, and she swears she can feel something, a presence. There’s something about this rock. Uma’s still talking.

 _“Why continue living under the sea, if the only beats of love I’ve ever known are caused by a human?_ The siren asked herself _._ The girl chose to visit a sea witch who promised to give her beautiful legs in exchange for her voice. The witch savagely cut the young girl’s tongue,” Mal jumps back in fear at Uma's sudden wild gesturing, her hands telling the story with her.

“The witch warned her that in this process there would be no turning back, and that if she failed to make the human fall in love with her, she would be silent and alone for all eternity. The young siren didn’t care, and she soon became a real girl, with her trembling legs unable to walk. What the witch hadn’t told her was that with every step, she would feel her own weight anchoring her to the world, with an intense pain in her new and bloody feet. The human found her and loved her almost instantly, but not enough for the spell to break. Although she reminded him of the pretty girl who saved him days ago, he knew it wasn't her. Her perfect voice was missing. One day a woman appeared in the palace with a beautiful voice, similar to that of the siren, and then the prince decided that his search was over, and that he would marry her. The siren then fell into a tremendous depression, for it was the sea witch in disguise, unbeknownst to Ariel. It was then that this voice appeared to her and ordered her to kill the prince. One of the two women had to leave the world so that the siren's heart would not rot. But she preferred to let him live with this woman, for if it were true love, she would not get in the way of her prince’s happiness. Although her heart was too pure to fully rot and wither, she was cursed to an eternity of memory and suffering, sentenced to watch from this very rock as her prince and his now wife had children and lived the happy ending that was originally for her.”

_Who the fuck is this girl?_

Mal’s trance is broken, and she looks at the satisfied grin on Uma’s face, feeling one form on her own.

"It’s my turn to say that I hope you aren’t telling those stories to the kids, or they’re gonna leave here with more than just a dreamcatcher made of ice cream sticks and wool.”

“Nah, don't worry.” Uma sat back. “Most of the kids here have suffered too much, they’re not scared of scary stories."

She’s heard something like that from the other counsellors. Obviously, Mal kinda had guessed that the place they were sending her to was a kind of open-air reformatory, but when she saw how young some of the people there were, she thought they had exaggerated. Thinking about these kids she was about to start mentoring, these kids that had been through far worse than Mal knows she could ever imagine, was creating whirlpools in the pit of her stomach, and making her queasy.

"So, where did that come from?"

Uma looks at her now, almost as if she’s analysing her, and Mal wonders if she realises that her comment has gotten to her. If she notices the topic change or the shift in Mal’s body language, she hasn’t said anything, instead being polite enough to just go along with it.

"The story?” Mal nods. “You remind me of the siren.”

Mal wonders if that’s an insult or a compliment.

"How so? I don't have fangs or eat human hearts."

"Not that I know." Fair. “And, it could be because I inadvertently listened to a part of your conversation with your mom. The siren also got along badly with her father most of the time, and then you came directly to this rock specifically."

“So, it wasn’t because of my _breathtaking_ beauty?”

 _Watch it, Mal._ She mentally reprimanded herself. _She just told you that she listened to one of your private conversations, she violated your privacy. It doesn’t matter that you don’t know how to respond to that, do not start flirting._

"What I’m trying to say is, this place is not as bad as you think, you should give it a try."

"You sound like my mother." And just when she’s starting to like this girl. She fights back the urge to let out a sigh.

"I'm serious.” Uma hurriedly sits up and lets her legs dangle. “I know it must fucking suck to be forced to do something you don't want to but try and see the good in it.”

"My parents bring me here to straighten me up, but all I want to do is break my cabin to the ground with a baseball bat." Apparently, Mal’s first response to a pretty girl is to either flirt or overshare. Neither are really viable options, and yet Mal finds herself doing a combination of both.

"We don't have baseball bats.” Uma’s acting like she’s seriously considering it, which takes Mal aback, and not for the first time during this conversation. “We do have kayaks, though! See? There are so many cool things we-uh, you could do. How about we make a bet?” 

"Okay.” Mal closes her sketchbook and wonders why this girl has taken such an interest in her. “I'm listening."

“If by the end of the summer you decide that this place is boring and definitely not your vibe, I will personally see that your mother knows you’ve done a good job and that you don’t need to return. Hell, I'll even have my own mother write you a glowing reference.”

“ _Your_ mother?”

“Ursula.”

It all makes sense now. Karma truly is a bitch. _Of course,_ the girl she insulted and then teased shamelessly was the daughter of the owner of the camp where she’s spending her whole summer. 

Exhaling with resignation, Mal asks, “And what do you get in return?"

"Good predisposition from you. Get rid of the attitude. You're going to make it real difficult for both of us if you drag yourself out of bed every day wanting to kick the first person who dares talk to you in the face. Play nice and we all win.”

Uma reaches out her hand. She’s the daughter of Ursula, and Mal knows that guarantees Uma access to things that others don’t, such as the kitchen or her mother’s office (where Mal noticed there was the only computer in the whole damn place), and Mal knows she makes an incredibly strong ally to have in this place. Uma herself seems okay too, to pass the time with or just to observe. Mal might be stuck in a camp, with all her plans for a perfect summer down the drain, but this bet had the potential to make things a _lot_ more interesting. Mal takes her hand, finding a firm grip.

"Deal."

"Perfect." Uma jumps down off the rock and before leaving her alone again, she turns and says to Mal, “Oh, before I forget. This agreement kinda makes us friends now, right?”

“I don’t know if I’d go that far.” Mal looks down at her, sniffing.

“Well, I guess if you’re not my friend, you wouldn’t like to know about the party tonight for all the counsellors?”

Mal shifts at this, her back straightening, her eyes narrowing at Uma.

“Normally the newbies don't get an invite, but I can sneak you in if you want.”

Uma had Mal’s hands, and she’d tied them before Mal even knew what hit her.

"I guess it won’t hurt me, or whatever, to be friends."

“Awesome. Needless to say, you don’t need to be in uniform for it.”

"What a shame, the pants make my ass look great.”

“A real shame indeed, who would want to miss such a view? I'll pick you up at 8, _friend._ ” Uma reaches into one of her pockets and throws her a plastic triangle that Mal grabs in the air.

"I'll be waiting anxiously for your arrival,” Mal musters her most sarcastic tone. With one last chuckle, Uma begins to walk away.

Mal opens her palm and looks at what Uma gave her. It’s a pin with her name on it. A smile began to form on Mal’s lips, as she realises that this summer might not be so bad after all.


	3. if i open up my heart to you, i know that you could lock it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!!  
> sorry it's been a while, we're still writing this! and it's definitely not going to be abandoned, we're just not working on any time frame as it's just been a busy time.
> 
> but hi here is the next chapter, it's alice again, and here is where things start to ~ develop ~
> 
> enjoy!!

UMA

If you’d asked Uma what she was eating for dinner that night, she’d probably be able to tell you in detail. But only because she’d memorised Louis’ meal plans from the years of eating his cuisine, not because she was paying any attention to the mouthful she was currently chewing mindlessly. Uma knows whatever it is probably tastes good, Louis doesn’t come cheap despite his status as a close family friend, but she can’t really taste anything right now. (Or hear anything, or even remotely focus on anything that wasn’t charcoal drawings and badly dyed purple hair.)

“Earth to Uma?” Harry’s in the middle of one of his tirades, probably about some kind of government conspiracy or alien spotting, and it’s clear he’s only just realised Uma clocked out of the conversation more than a little while ago. Gil’s also looking at her, his eyes searching her demeanour with an intensity she didn’t like. (She suspects he’s not dropped their earlier conversation, even if he hasn’t brought it up again. She hopes he doesn’t, she’s not in the mood for it.)

“Sorry, guys. Long day, I guess.”

She wasn’t _lying,_ she just wasn’t going into direct detail for the two boys. She didn’t know exactly what her earlier interaction with Mal _was_ , but it felt private, almost intimate, and it wasn’t something she was in a mood to share. (If they ever found out, they’d no doubt be hurt; secrets weren’t in the nature of their friendship. But this felt different. It didn’t feel like her secret to tell if it could even be labelled as much. She could just be overthinking it.)

“I guess Gil’s stupidity does that to you.” Gil lunges over the table at Harry’s dig; his tall frame clumsy and bulky as the table shakes, the blonde boy play-brawling with the brunette. Uma throws smiles of _Ignore them!_ to the people sitting nearby, _it’s kind of a brother thing!_ They’re sitting in the mess hall, on the counsellor’s table, at the first dinner of the summer. It’s a sort of welcome dinner ordeal - ordeal being the important word. It consists of a schedule of events such as Ursula and Uma saying a few words to the campers, introducing the campers to their camp leaders for the next month, laying down ground rules, and just general welcome talk. Looking down at her plate, Uma grins as she takes another bite. _Crab._ Of course, it’s Louis’ welcome special.

“I guess. I, uh-” that catches their attention; Uma doesn’t stutter. “I met the new Counsellor today. Mal.”

Both boys stop what they’re doing instantly, and return to their seats, their curiosity piqued. Or rather, Harry’s curiosity. Gil’s staring at her with a knowing glint in his eye, and it makes her shift uncomfortably in her seat. This kid might be the youngest of us three, but Uma would be damned if he weren’t weirdly the wisest when it came to things like this. ( _What things?_ Uma doesn’t even dare to think about exactly _what_ is making his eyes glint.)

“I’ve been wondering how that went,” Harry drawls. “Cute, isn’t she?”

Now Uma swats Harry’s smug face from across the table.

“Shut up. She’s prickly, for sure, you were right about the attitude problem. But I think she’ll get there.”

“High praise from you.” Harry says through a mouthful of baguette. It’s true, Uma wasn’t one to pre-empt anything, or give unnecessary praise. She didn’t believe in sugar coating things.

“Well, I invited her tonight.”

“You- _Oh?”_ Harry chokes on his mouthful, clearing his throat while Gil hands him a glass of water, a sympathetic smile on his face. He truly was a golden retriever. Uma picks at her bread, feigning nonchalance, avoiding the eyes of the two boys who could read hers right back, in fear of what she might find there. (She wasn’t ready for any of this, even the hint of it.)

Truthfully, she doesn’t know what possessed her to invite the newbie tonight. Part of her says it was to make her summer easier, to get this obviously troubled girl on her good side. (The girl hadn’t even turned up to the welcome dinner, everything about her cried authority issues. Or Mommy issues. Or both.) Yet, another part of her knew it was something else, call it intrigue. Mal reminded her of Harry when they’d first met, in a funny way. She didn’t dare tell him that, he’d try and skin her alive. (He was a lot more sensitive than he let on, and he’d never told Uma directly, but she knows he was ashamed of how he used to conduct himself.) She was all purple fire and curse words, and Uma had made the mistake of brushing her off, _she’s just like all the other spoiled rich kids who get shipped here, she’s just had too much time on their hands._

But something had made her stay. The more Mal bit at Uma, and tried to get under her skin, the more Uma’s resolve hardened. She wasn’t sure why, but there was a look in Mal’s eyes, and it spoke more than her body language could have. Uma had a sixth sense for these kinds of things, Harry always said her intuitiveness was her gift, that it was what led her to him. (It was the only thing he’d ever said on the matter, but it was more than she ever could’ve asked for from him.) She wasn’t sure what had made her tell that story, especially when Mal would’ve found out about it from the many campfires they have throughout the summer, but the further she got into the story, the more she saw something shift in the new girl. She wasn’t stupid; Uma knew that they’d only just met; she was intuitive, not psychic, but she got the sense there was something more to the girl than the sharp edge she had no doubt crafted as her defence mechanism. That was how most of the kids around here coped when they first got to Springs, and it’s how she knew there was more to the story.

It was how they’d made their bet. Uma had promised her a stamp of approval and a glowing review for her overbearing mother, and in return Mal would adhere to the _Springs Way_ and be the ideal happy camper. The thought makes Uma smile, but she’s quick to hide it from the guys. Everything about this girl has an air of trust and privacy that she finds herself wanting to keep away from the boys. They’d only make a big deal about it, and after everything that happened with Audrey, she didn’t need it. Uma had sworn off anything like that for the long-term; she just wanted this summer to not be a living _hell_ and having a co-operative teammate was the only way she was going to achieve that.

“Yeah, I thought she should get to know everyone, and-” A bell rang, signalling the end of dinner, knocking her out of her daydream. She thanked Zeus, _saved by the bell._

The boys collectively groan, and Uma hums her amusement, they’re almost in harmony. That bell is a signal for the campers to head to their cabins for an early night in preparation of their first day of camp activities. For the counsellors, it means clean-up, head count for their assigned charges, and then they’re clocked out for the day. For the counsellors, that means that it’s go time, and the buzz on their table is almost palpable. Despite their early start in the morning, this blow out is infamous each year for being a guaranteed good time.

Uma hops up from her seat lithely, grabbing her plate of leftovers, and winks at the boys.

“See you guys later, I’ll meet you there.”

She drops her plate in the dishes tray and is out of the door before she hears their reply. She knows it’s probably something about ditching them for a hot date, and she hears Harry’s evil cackle ringing in her ears until she reaches her cabin.

~

Uma had never really been one for heavy makeup and found she didn’t need it after spending every summer in the sun, her skin was already a lovely copper. Working long hours in the sun turned it into a deep bronze, which meant that it hadn’t really taken her all that long to shower and put on some mascara and gold eyeshadow. It also hadn’t taken her long to twist the upper player of her braids into an updo, the blues, turquoises and aqua all weaving through and creating a ripple effect. She loved wearing her hair like this, foregoing her usual bandana, and matching it with a pair of denim shorts and a checked shirt, which she tied just above her navel. (Hey, it was the last time they could all cut loose before they were responsible adults, who was she to not spice things up now and again?)

That’s how she finds herself outside of Mal’s cabin at exactly 7:59pm. She’d even taken longer after dinner to check on the kids, and taken her time in the shower, but Uma was a sucker for being punctual. It was in her blood, having the responsibility of the camp’s smooth sailing from such a young age. Sighing, she lifts her hand, her bracelets clinking, and knocks lightly on the cabin door. She can hear heavy music suddenly click off, and the door swings open, bringing Uma face to face with Mal for the second time that day, and she’d be lying if she weren’t taken aback at the transformation in mere hours. Mal’s done this thing with her eyeshadow, painting a smoky swirl around her eyes, licking her lashes, and her hair framing her face in untamed curls. She really does remind Uma of a pixie, her face all sharp angles, her pale skin shimmering against violet hair, but she also has this rocker vibe with fishnet tights, heavy army boots and a long shirt and belt, engineered into a dress which-

_Is that?_

“Is that a Paramore shirt?” Uma finds herself snorting before she can think.

“What’s it to you?” Mal visibly steels herself, her defence mechanism kicking in.

“No, no, it’s not a bad thing,” Uma holds up her hands, still grinning. “I loved that band too, in 2013.”

Mal narrows her eyes, and practically snarls, and the air is tense for a moment, until Uma’s light tone finally registers with her. The edge of Mal’s mouth pulls into a grin, and it isn’t long before she’s _giggling_ at herself. (The roller coaster of emotions in such a short amount of time leaves Uma spinning. _This girl is a whirlwind if I’ve ever met one.)_

“Hayley Williams was my sexual awakening,” Mal’s purple eyes are glinting mischievously. Uma makes a mental note to ask her about her eyes at some point, but right now another issue takes precedence.

“Mine too.” Uma raises one eyebrow. _So, she’s gay. That’s… interesting information._ It wasn’t something Uma was going to come right out and ask a stranger, but it had been on her mind. _Curiosity,_ she told herself. Mal was cute for sure, albeit in a totally weird stuck-in-2012-tumblr way, Uma couldn’t deny that. This information was objectively interesting to her, and only because they were going to spend the summer working next to each other. Uma had had counsellors before act weirdly around her, even turning on her, once they had learnt that she was gay. (That had gotten them a one-way ticket back to wherever they came from and had given Uma an excuse to become even more reserved around strangers than probably healthy. Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t care if anyone knew, she wasn’t closeted or anything. She just always made sure her circle ran small, and her trust rationed.) There was now no danger of that, which let Uma breathe a little easier, alongside something else that she didn’t care to acknowledge.

“Shall we?” Mal shuts the door behind her, and hops down the stairs gracefully, and Uma finds herself shaking her head. She can’t figure Mal out, and it’s an alien feeling.

~

Uma takes Mal the long way round, showing her the grounds that she didn’t get round to doing earlier, and so by the time they get into the forest clearing, the party is in full swing. She spots Harry and Gil straightaway by their comical height difference, and catcalls to them. When they see her, they both grin and jog over, red cups in hand.

“Gil, Harry, this is Mal, the new guppy’s counsellor,” she gestures between them all. Gil, _of course,_ in all of his glory, is quick to greet Mal and scoop her into a crushing bear hug. The sight makes Uma chuckle to herself, Mal looks pained, awkwardly patting Gil’s back, their height difference astronomical, almost like a golden bear and a weird, colourful bunny rabbit. When he lets go, Mal turns to Harry, who sends one sharp nod in her direction as the only acknowledgement of her existence, and it shocks Uma. Harry’s preferred greeting of new people is to completely ignore that they exist, so he must see something in Mal. _(Himself,_ Uma muses.) 

“Chad’s here.” Harry grumbles, looking around the clearing in contempt.

“Who’s Chad?” Mal asks innocently, not realising what she’s getting herself into. Uma and Gil exchange looks, stifling groans. Harry goes to speak, no doubt to hurl curse words and every insult under the sun to explain the phenomenon of Chad Charming, but Gil intercepts to keep it PG rated. (This is a _kid’s_ camp, after all.)

“He’s Audr-” Gil starts, but Harry elbows him in the ribs, barely making a dent but Gil quickly gets the point. His eyes flicker momentarily over to Uma, then back to Mal, and he rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. The moment is weird, and tense, and for a moment Uma swears you can cut the tension with a knife, her own body stiffer than she cares to admit at the name drop. If Mal notices the sudden change in atmosphere, she doesn’t react, her expression remaining expectant towards Gil. (It’s either that, or she’s good at feigning, and Uma thanks Zeus for either one.)

“He’s another counsellor here. He’s kind of a spoiled brat.” Gil continues, the moment left behind.

“That’s putting it lightly. The guy’s a raging asshole.” Harry sniffs, his eyes still searching, no doubt for signs of Prince Charming. (That’s a nickname they came up for him the first year he was here, his teeth are too white, and his hair is too perfect, and it creeped all three of them out. Uma thinks that it did something else to Harry though, even if he acts otherwise.)

“You guys aren’t the best of friends, then?” Mal raises a perfectly arched eyebrow. Uma realises with a start she’s coloured it in _purple,_ and it looks badass. (This girl keeps surprising her.) She laughs at the question, a genuine chuckle escaping her.

“That’s the understatement of the century.” She looks around the clearing, a bonfire in the middle burning high, and spots the snack table. Her eyes set on a large bottle of clear liquid, and she feels a shit-eating grin form on her face. (It’s when shit like this happens that she knows she’s spent way too much time around Harry throughout her life.)

“You’re old enough to drink in the states, right?” she glances at Mal, one eyebrow raised, daring her. For tonight, she’s off the clock, a normal newly twenty-one-year-old, and not responsible for anyone.

Mal catches her drift, eyes glinting. ( _She really is like Harry._ )

“Yeah. Shall we?” she asks for the second time that night.

~

“You’re kinda like a, a blonde Jesus, you know that, Gil?”

Gil and Uma turn to look at Mal, her cheeks slightly flushed after having randomly blurted that out mid-conversation, and erupt into snorts of laughter, doubled over, struggling to breathe. Harry, on the other hand, simply narrows his eyes, the corner of his mouth slightly tugged upwards. He’s warming to her. They’ve been standing by the bonfire, getting along surprisingly well for the last hour, just fooling around. Uma was pleasantly surprised by how quick Gil had taken to her, and was even more surprised by the contrast in Mal. The other girl’s earlier sharp and defensive demeanour had thawed, melted into something warmer. (Uma wasn’t sure if it was simply the light from the fire, or if Mal even _looked_ warmer, less pale, less guarded, less chilled to the bone. This place certainly had that effect.)

“Oh my God, that’s awesome. We usually call him our golden retriever, but that’s so much _better,”_ Uma wheezes.

“It’s true!” Mal looks slightly indignant, but is giggling through it, sticking to her guns. “I saw you today running around with the kids with floaties, they loved you. Kids don’t like me like that.”

Uma isn’t sure if she imagines it, but she thinks she sees a tinge of sadness in Mal’s eyes. She wonders if Mal has any siblings, or if she’s an only child. But, as soon as she sees it, the look is gone, and Mal is grinning again. (She really _does_ look like a manic pixie, Uma marvels.)

“It’s only because he’s an overgrown baby himself, isn’t that right, scales?”

That voice doesn’t belong to any of their group, and the nasally quality to it brings a weird feeling in Uma’s gut, the equivalent feeling you get from nails running down a chalkboard. _Chad._ (He’s probably got quite a nice voice, but Uma _really_ doesn’t like this guy. He’s always at Harry’s neck, unprovoked, and it irks her.) They’ve all turned to the source of the voice, to prince charming himself and see him standing between Harry and Uma, red solo cup in hand, devil-may-care smile on his face. He exudes an air of self-assurance ( _and money,_ Uma thinks disdainfully), his blonde hair in perfect fairy-tale locks, his white teeth fucking _glinting_ in the moonlight. He’s dressed in tight khaki pants, paired with an expensive button-down shirt, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off perfectly tanned forearms. He looks like something out of a Hollister magazine, but he’s also the odd one out, standing next to Harry and Gil in their respective worn checkered shirts, converse and camp tee’s.

“Talk of the devil and he may appear,” Harry all but snarls. His free hand is curled into a tight fist, and Uma prays to all the Gods that there’s no brawling tonight.

“Aw, you were talking about me. That’s cute,” Chad drawls, throwing an arm lazily around Harry’s shoulder, which the other boy immediately shrugs off, scoffing. Chad’s not even that much taller than Harry, stockier sure, but his arrogance makes even Harry shrink in comparison. Chad spots Mal, and his brows go up in surprise, and Uma finds comedy in guessing what it is about Mal that jerks that kind of reaction, her bright hair, her matching eyes, her tatty band shirt, or her sharp demeanour.

Either way, Chad starts purring like a slimy alley cat.

“A fresh face, I see. I don’t think we’ve met; I’d remember a cute face like yours. I’m Chad,” he holds out a hand. Mal just stares at it, her face a picture of pure apathy.

“Oh, I’ve heard about you already....”

“All good I hope?”

“If good is a synonym for asshole, then yeah, you could say that.”

Chad straightens up at that, letting out a low whistle, letting his hand drop.

“Well, alright, suit yourself. This is officially the lamest party I’ve ever been to. If you losers are interested, we’re all gonna play a friendly little game of _Never Have I Ever,_ spice things up. Interested?”

His tone of voice is cool, but he frames as if to challenge them. Harry catches on to this instantly, never one to be outdone, and narrows his eyes. In return, Uma rolls hers and sighs, shrugging in Mal’s direction, a sorry smile on her face. They’ll never hear the end of it if they don’t participate.

“Sure.”

~

“Never have I ever gone skinny dipping!”

Almost everyone around the fire takes a sip, with Chad boastfully downing the rest of his drink, raising his arms in victory to a chorus of erupting cheers and hoots. _He’s such an ass,_ Uma thinks to herself as she takes a sip. (Of course she has, she’s grown up at this damn camp.) Harry and Gil also drink next to her, but Mal shifts in her seat, looking around her, her expression guarded.

“You’ve never done it?” Uma’s smile is warm, she’s not surprised at this, Mal’s demeanour screams city girl. The other girl shyly shakes her head, which is the first time she’s shown any sort of weakness in the time Uma has known her. Admittedly, it’s only been a day, but they’ve already come a long way.

“There aren’t any beaches at home.”

“Are there any friends?” Harry speaks directly to her for the first time tonight, his expression cautious but humorous. Instinctively, Uma whacks the top of his head, and he lets out a bark of indignant laughter, not quite quick enough in his attempt to evade her attack. Mal is giggling, and she sighs, but it’s not _not_ a happy one.

“Funny enough, yeah, I have friends.” She lets out a small laugh, her eyes full of mirth.

“I just live in the city,” _Called it._

“If you tried to strip at a public pool, I’m pretty sure you’d get arrested. I’m all for stirring up trouble but spending a night in jail for public indecency is a lot, even for me.”

They laugh at that, and their attention is back to the game. They missed a couple of rounds, but no one is paying attention, so they slip right back in. It’s Chad’s turn, and he’s making a show of deliberating his question. Uma doesn’t get why everyone loves him, but maybe she’s biased. Gil was right earlier; he is Audrey’s best friend, that’s how they met. Chad brought Audrey here last summer, and her and Uma had hit it off straight away. Audrey was nowhere to be seen this year, and Uma can’t say she’s surprised, the way they’d left things left a lot to be desired. Chad was back now, apparently, and she’s surprised he hadn’t mentioned anything about it. (But it was her business and she guessed Chad knew better.) Still, she finds it weird. The only reason Chad works here every summer is because millionaire politician daddy forces him to do some sort of charity work, to spend every summer with the ‘regular folk’ so that when he no doubt gets elected to be a congressman, he can talk about his years helping troubled teenagers find their way back at esteemed camp _Aqua Springs._ It doesn’t sit well with Uma or Ursula, but they know it brings good press to the camp, so they hire him back every year. (He _is_ good with the kids too, despite his arrogant demeanour, Uma wouldn’t be surprised if that was a façade. The kids really do like him.)

Just as Uma starts to think of any redeeming qualities of Chad, he shatters them all at once, his eyes locked on her in a way that makes her insides squirm and her stomach drop. He’s got this look in his eyes, and she’s not prepared for what he’s about to say.

“Never have I ever been cheated on.”

The camp goes quiet.

It’s a low blow and everyone knows it. Most of the counsellors come back every year, and so most of the people around the campfire know the spite behind the question. _Fuck this, fuck that guy._ Uma can feel eyes on her, boring onto her back, almost seeing through her. It really was a low blow. She feels like she’s on a fucking rollercoaster, on a huge high, and then all of a sudden, the ride just dropped, and now she’s left with a sinking feeling in her gut and an acute need to vomit. Harry’s up in an instant, not making any moves, just standing there, menacing. He’s practically snarling at Chad. You don’t fuck with Harry, and you _don’t_ fuck with Uma. He goes to make a move towards Chad, and Uma puts her hand out.

“It’s fine, Harry. I’m out of here.”

Without another word, Uma gets up and tailwinds it out of the clearing, no destination in mind, she just knows she needs to get the _fuck_ out of there. Once she steps out of the threshold of the bonfire, once she’s out of sight, she’s running. She’s in good shape, her body toned after years of labour, and she’s never been more thankful for it. Only when the laughter and music is a quiet hum does she slow down, her breathing heavy. Uma has never been one for dramatics, but she’s too wired to feel embarrassed. (She shouldn’t have left Mal, she knows that, but she couldn’t help it. Not with everyone staring at her, _through_ her.) This was exactly the reason Uma was so guarded about her life, why she could count the people she trusted on one hand. When people know you, they can hurt you. Audrey had shown Uma as much and had stamped it in for good measure.

Uma isn’t sure how long she’s been on her own for, she can still hear the party, but it didn’t sound like it was dying down anytime soon. She’s sitting on a fallen tree, just listening to the noises around her, watching the nocturnal creatures scurrying by her feet, trying not to think. Anyone else would have felt nervous being in the middle of the woods alone at night, but not Uma, not these woods. They were comforting to her. (She would’ve preferred to be sat by the sea, salt breeze in her hair, but you can’t always get what you want, huh?) She’s not messed up any more about what had happened with Audrey, but by no means had she completely accepted it either. Mostly, she just wants to forget it ever happened, but people keep making that hard for her. People like Chad. That _asshole._ Uma’s so deep in thought and wallowing, so deeply channelling every feeling and thought and sense of blame, that she doesn’t even hear the telling crunch of leaves.

“Hey, you okay?”

Mal’s looking at her, her expression wary, like Uma’s a cornered animal to be approached with caution. (Uma’s pride is smarting at this point; she’s never been one for a dramatic exit.)

“Yeah, sorry I left you back there. I don’t-”

“It’s okay.” Mal interrupts her, shaking her head, offering Uma a small smile as she sets herself down next to Uma. She shivers, it’s colder out here, away from the fire.

“The guys told me you went through some stuff last year,” Uma goes to interrupt her, but Mal holds up her hands.

“You don’t need to talk about it. It’s your business. But if you did… want to talk about, that is. I’ll listen.” Mal shrugs. (She’s keeping cool, but Uma can tell that Mal isn’t used to comforting people. Uma can relate; she’s not used to being comforted. Even when everything went down, Gil was begging her for weeks to just talk about it. She’d refused. Again, hard labour. Old school style.)

Uma clears her throat, shuffling over to make room for Mal. They’re sitting next to each other on the log, thighs and elbows touching. Mal is cold to the touch. Uma closes her eyes momentarily, taking a deep breath to psych herself up, and opens her eyes again.

“I dated Chad’s best friend last year.”

“Oh. Well, there’s your fist red flag.”

Uma looks at Mal, taken aback. She finds herself letting out a sharp breath, not quite a chuckle but there’s definitely humour there. _Damn, pixie doesn’t hold back._

“Maybe. She worked here last summer, and it was a bit of a whirlwind. We were gonna go travelling this year, go and see the world, but then she cheated. We broke up about a month ago.”

Mal stays quiet, her purple eyes swirling, her head tilted towards Uma. She doesn’t know why she’s telling the other girl this, or why she’s listening, but she knows it feels nice. It could be the alcohol, but Uma has a feeling it’s something else. (It’s nice to tell someone who’s not involved, who she doesn’t have to be scared they’re going to do anything rash to defend her. Because she doesn’t need defending, she just needs someone to listen to her, unfiltered.)

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s all in the past, but it just caught me by surprise tonight.”

“How did you leave it with- Audrey, was her name?” Even hearing it on Mal’s tongue sounds foreign, and it’s not something Uma wants to hear again.

“Messy. I told her I never wanted to see her again. It took me a long time to get over it. We all have our shit, this is mine. But I’m good. It’s nice to be back here.”

They sit in silence for a long stretch, comfortable in the quiet and each other’s company. (Uma doesn’t think about how easy it was for her to confide in Mal, or how weirdly content she feels to just sit in silence next to her. They’d only just met, but there was something about her, a wisdom beyond that of your normal nineteen-year-old. Uma was sure now that Mal’s attitude problem was part of a persona, she’d seen a different side to her tonight, and she wondered what she was hiding from.)

“Must have been nice growing up in a place like this.”

Uma smiles this time. She doesn’t apologise for sharing, or make excuses for it, she’s too old to apologise for feelings or showing weakness. She’s not Harry. But it’s nice to know that Mal’s not looking for that either, no trace of unease in the demeanour of the girl sitting next to her.

“Yeah, it was pretty wild. I’m lucky, I guess. Even off season we live near the beach, I don’t think I’d survive in a city. I’m made for the ocean.”

Mal lets out a light laugh, almost melodic against the quiet night.

“Yeah, I can’t remember the last time I saw stars like this. Or the last time I spent this much time around trees.”

They’re both laughing now, and the conversation moves on to lighter things, like their favourite movies, favourite meals, favourite travel destinations. They’re careful not to touch on anything too deep, and Uma doesn’t ask much about Mal’s home life, but rather her art and her passions. They get caught up, their conversation becoming animated, their bodies mirroring one another, and it provides a welcome distraction for Uma.

It also provides Harry and Gil for the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind them and burst out of the trees. Uma isn’t proud of the noise she makes, it’s almost guttural compared to Mal’s girlish squeal. What she also isn’t proud of is the way the cool forest suddenly becomes unbearably hot, as in their blind panic, Mal basically launched herself onto Uma’s lap, buried into her side. Uma can feel Mal’s nails digging into her flesh, and if you asked her what it did to her stomach, she’d tell you where to stick it before she deigned to answer. It’s probably a sight to behold, as Harry lets out a low whistle while Gil just laughs, wide-eyed.

“Interrupted something, have we?”

As Mal coughs and extracts herself from Uma, cheeks flushed, Uma picks up a pinecone from the forest floor and launches it in Harry’s direction, following it up with a strew of curses.

“You _assholes._ ”

As Gil and Harry take seats around Mal and Uma and start complaining about how little they’d drank, and how early they had to get up tomorrow, the two girls look at each other, and smile. Uma gets that feeling of privacy again, like they’re sharing something, like they’ve made a breakthrough. This wasn’t the sharp-tongued and quick-witted girl she met this morning, or maybe it was still her, but just another layer that she had chosen to share with Uma. Out of the corner of her eye, Uma catches Harry looking between them both, studying, and she quickly breaks the moment. (The last thing she needs right now is Harry bothering her about something, especially if it’s nothing. She thinks of him like a brother, but he has trouble understanding boundaries when it comes to Uma. Gil is the same,and he notices, but he doesn’t normally _push_ , his nickname of golden retriever is that way for a reason. But, Harry sees, he notices, and he doesn’t let _go._ Uma muses at the thought, they’ve both been like that lately.)

She stands up, stretching out her arms.

“I’m gonna head back. You guys feel free to stay, but I’m good.” She’s not really in the party mood anymore, and apparently the others aren’t either, because they move to join her.

“We’ll come back with you.” Gil chimes in. “Is that okay, Mal?”

Mal nods once, her eyes wide. Guilt courses through Uma, this was meant to be her official welcome, but Uma feels responsible for cutting it short. As if she’s read Uma’s mind, Mal offers her a small smile.

“I’ve had a long day anyway.”

~

It takes them a little while to walk back through the forest to the main campsite, even guided with the natural light from the moon. They drop off Harry and Gil on the way and make plans to meet them before breakfast the next day, before they make their way to Mal’s cabin.

“Picking me up _and_ walking me home, I feel like I’m in a 1950’s Hollywood movie. You’re Gene Kelly, and I’m Debby Reynolds.”

“ _Singing in The Rain_? That’s off brand for you, considering what’s on your shirt.” Uma scoffs, to which Mal replies with a small shrug. (She is full of surprises.)

“I like to keep things interesting. Thanks for tonight though, Uma. I had fun.”

“ _Please,_ you don’t have to lie, that was a shipwreck.”

Mal lets out another musical laugh, and Uma hates to admit it, but it’s infectious.

“I’m serious! Maybe this summer won’t be so bad after all.”

They reach Mal’s cabin, say their goodbyes, and Uma can’t help but feel a little disappointed that the night has to end. She’s made a breakthrough with Mal; she’d even go as far to say that they’ve formed a shaky friendship, but she knows trauma too well after working with troubled kids for so long, and she knows Mal could go right back to her snarky self tomorrow. (She hopes that’s not the case, she hopes she isn’t like Harry in that respect.) She turns to go, but Mal speaks out again, having stopped halfway up the stairs to her room.

“I’m serious, you know, about our bet.”

They hadn’t touched on that topic again tonight, and Uma was starting to think she’d forgotten about it.

“I’m gonna be the best damn counsellor you’ve ever had. And my report will be glowing at the end of this.”

Uma grins up at her and is met with a splitting smile back. Mal’s hair looks even more alive in this light, the patchy purple evening out in the night’s glow.

“Now we’re talking. I’ll hold you to that.”

Mal gives a small wave, climbs the rest of the stairs, and disappears into her cabin, leaving Uma alone in the quiet early hours of the morning. The party would be winding down soon, with everyone’s alarms set for six. Uma enjoys the peace while it lasts, taking the long way through the moonlit campsite to her own cabin, she knows that tomorrow the eerily silent grounds will be bursting with sounds and colour. A few hours ago, she would have been dreading working with the stingrays, with snotty kids at that age where they think they’re so damn smart, alongside a counsellor with a serious attitude problem. Now, she can feel the thrum of anticipation course through her, and it makes it tough to sleep when she finally does get to her cabin, despite the way she flops on her bed from pure exhaustion. When Uma does finally drift off to sleep, she dreams. She dreams of the siren, sitting on her rock, singing a haunting lullaby to the ocean. 


	4. coloured out the lines, i came to find, my fire was fate with you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> hi, val again.  
> things really heat up here so be warned, be prepared for some serious umal content.  
> mal's pov again.  
> enjoy!

Mal had few memories that she came back to from time to time because they made her smile and feel good in times of hardship. One of them was before everything went to shit, when she was eleven, and with her parents they went to an amusement park. They spent the whole day together, eating junk food and getting on as many attractions as possible, just laughing and enjoying each other's company. 

Another one was when she was sixteen and she was lying on the bed, drawing as usual, while Evie sewed a dress in the corner of the room with her machine, and Jay and Carlos played a video game, kicking each other to make the other lose. There, in that simple and monotonous moment, she realized that perhaps she had found her people. Sure, nothing was ever perfect, but after trying so hard to fit in, at that moment it felt like it was.

At what point Mal let Uma make this summer one of those memories, she didn't know, but secretly she was grateful.

To say that they had become close was an understatement. At first Mal behaved well just to show her commitment, but then she realized they had more in common than their love for Paramore, and they spent the next few weeks after the party glued to each other's hips, talking about everything and nothing, sharing private jokes and glances that transcended the understanding of the rest. 

They never touched the subject of Uma's ex again. Not because Mal didn't want to (it was just the opposite; Mal wanted to know everything about Uma, without being able to avoid it), but because Uma didn't bring it out again, and that was fine with Mal. She said that she’d already gotten over it, and Mal believed her (it was very similar to what happened to her with her parents; she didn’t care about their divorce, but it still hurt sometimes). Plus, she had the essential piece of the story: Audrey was a bitch.

But Mal wasn't going to play stupid either, there was something growing between them that wasn't necessarily just friendship. She found herself more than once, as they walked along the shore of the beach at night, stopping herself from taking Uma's hand, or even though she had already finished her chores for the day, staying with Uma while she cleaned the dining room, taking a broom to make things easier for her. 

Mal, cleaning! If her mother saw her, she’d think she had lost her mind. And yet... she only did it for Uma.

When speaking of love, Mal had very little experience with it. She'd had random hook-ups with people like any teen living their teenage dream, but she never let things go beyond that because no one caught her attention enough to risk getting her heart broken. 

Because that's what it was all about. Be it a good or bad relationship, the end will always be the same; one is going to end up in pieces, and who voluntarily puts themselves in that position? If Mal was going to get hurt, at least it must be by someone who was worthwhile. 

Not long ago, she had tried something with Evie. She was her best friend, and Mal was quite aware that the girl was beautiful, with her straight midnight blue hair accentuating her honey-coloured eyes with a tint of light green, and her lips always somehow peachy pink. She was beautiful, and for the most part, she understood her problems. And of course, she was irrevocably in love with her, so Mal thought _fuck it_ and one night when the two of them were alone in her room, she kissed her.

Evie wasted no time in following the kiss with much encouragement, but as the seconds ticked by, Mal realized that all those emotions she felt when observing Evie’s beauty didn’t translate over to the kiss. There was no spark, there was no electricity, all those things mentioned in books when the hero kisses their soulmate were not present. It felt like an ordinary kiss, one of many that Mal had had in the past.

She didn't say it out loud, however, not at the time. She owed Evie at least that. They spent the whole night kissing, and the gleam in Evie's eyes every time they broke apart squeezed her heart. Mal hoped she was being able to replicate that, but she didn't know if she was succeeding, although Evie never proved her otherwise.

After that night, Mal completely ignored her existence. That was a dick move, but it always came back to the same thing, like an endless cycle. In her eagerness to find something she knew was cursed; she was going to crush one of the few people who cared about her. She should’ve learnt the lesson with her parents; love was not worth it; it was not worth losing Evie.

She couldn't judge herself too much, Mal had to admit that she didn't know how to handle the situation well, but she could also have talked to Evie, communicated her feelings and that, to her regret, nothing was going to happen between them. But she hesitated, and before she could fix things, she was sent to the camp.

And there she met Uma.

As contradictory as it is, in the place where Mal thought she would find nothing but discomfort, she found something that she believed was lost forever. Uma offered her complete camaraderie, without ignoring the ugly parts of herself and embracing the good things. Which was saying a lot, because they only met a few weeks ago, but they really felt like they had known each other for a lifetime.

It was a tailspin, a one-way ticket to a place Mal had vowed never to visit again, but Uma was too tempting. She had never felt that urge to be thrown into the void for someone, and it was terrifying and liberating, all at the same time. Mal just hoped she could survive the fall.

For now, all she could do was nod and fulfil her end of the bargain. She was having a good time, and she had no intention of spoiling everything now by a simple intrusive thought.

Lazily, as she stood up, Mal scratched her arm only to meet the reality of the day before. On their afternoon break, she went to find Uma and Gil (no one knew where Harry was, and no one asked either). They usually used to get together near where their next activities would take place, but for some reason the energy of the kids playing games infected them and they ended up playing with some branches near the limits of the forest. Mal didn’t know that feeling pain could be pleasant, but when she couldn’t stop herself from laughing, she realized that Uma, again, taught her something she had no idea about. 

That had been until Gil, caught up in the game, grabbed her by the waist without any difficulty and swung her around making her dizzy, and as she put her feet back on the ground again, she stumbled and fell against a tree.

Most of her arm was streaked thanks to the rough surface of the tree, and yet all Mal could do was cackle. What were a couple of scratches against a moment of complete nonchalance? Absolutely nothing. Uma ran to her aid and helped her up, and Gil apologized a thousand times, but Mal was not angry and didn’t need it. His time was running out and Gil had to go back to his group, but Uma stayed behind with her; _Advantages of being the owner's daughter_ , she had said, and led Mal to the small and humble infirmary that they had for cases like hers. Uma took antiseptic wipes and started cleaning her wounds.

They didn't speak (they didn't need to), the ambient felt too much. Too much _... of what?_ Mal didn't dare complete the sentence. With extreme care (more care than her injury required), Uma took her arm and wrapped it in gauze. While Uma was busy, Mal had time to inspect her face closely, and every little detail that one couldn’t notice from afar; Like the little freckles that adorned the bridge of her nose, or the small scar on one of her eyebrows. Almost imperceptible, but Mal was looking too closely. _There you go, so it can heal faster._ Mal didn't answer, and if Uma left her hand on her arm for longer than she should, Mal wasn't going to be the one to say anything about it.

The spell was broken with Ursula's screams calling them in the background, and they both left the place quickly.

Mal smiled, because the memory made her cheeks lit up like a Christmas tree, remembering the look of concern and tenderness with which the other girl had treated her.

A question formed in her head despite everything: what if she was imagining everything? What if Uma was just being nice and Mal was reading everything wrong just because she had both mommy & daddy issues? That puzzled her because she couldn't dismiss it as a lie. Just because Uma liked girls didn't mean she was going to be attracted to her. And there was nothing out of the ordinary, as far as she knew, Uma behaved with her in the same way that she behaved with her friends, but... Uma still didn't look at Harry the way she looked at her when she thought Mal was distracted. She wasn’t. 

Ugh, Mal needed a hot shower to finish waking up, and burn up her thoughts.

"Mal! Are you awake?" She had already gotten used to the torturous schedule of the camp and her usual routine, and her body had something about creating natural alarms so Mal didn't waste time putting them on her phone. That day it failed her, however. As she looked at her phone, Mal realized that there were five minutes left for breakfast to end. _Fuck fuck fuck_ , she quickly got up from her bed, grabbed her pants and started gathering her things.

"I'm coming! I was, huh ...colouring something!" Mal was jumping in place to put on her combat boots, which she didn't even bother to tie. 

"Oh, okay, for a moment I thought you’d forgotten about us!" Mal recognized Dizzy’s voice, one of the stingrays who’d been given the charge of the group's activities. She’d asked Mal if she could help her that day, and it's not that she forgot about it, it's that she had fallen asleep.

"Not for a second," She ran into the bathroom and brushed her hair twice, hoping it was enough to look decent. "I’ll be with you in just a sec!" She kept screaming. With her camp jacket on, making sure she had her name on her shirt, Mal headed for the door.

"I'm here!" A little breathless, Mal saw the girl smile at her raising her head ( _It’s incredible that someone shorter than me exists,_ she thought without really thinking).

"Amazing." Dizzy laughed and clapped her hands together in excitement, "You don't know how long we've been waiting for this class." They both started to walk, Dizzy jogging and Mal still juggling her things in her arms.

"Don’t you guys have art workshops?"

"Okay, yes. But none will be like yours!” At this, Mal grinned. "Uma does what she can, but we all know that art is not her thing."

"I bet her stick men are the best in the whole place"

"She has competition with Celia, but we can let them share the first place"

"You got it." They bumped their hands together, and when they reached the place, Dizzy opened the door for Mal.

All eyes fell on her, which was a little intimidating. She didn’t like kids, in fact, Mal used to avoid them as much as she could. But these kids were _fine_ , they didn't bother her, and they listened to her when she gave them an order, which she appreciated. But she was there to literally get her hands dirty, and in that she was an expert, so Mal ignored her flight or fight mode and spread what she had brought for the class at the main table.

"Okay," She watched as Dizzy gave her a thumbs up, encouraging her to continue. "For those who live under a rock and don’t know me yet, my name is Mal, and today I will be your art teacher." She ran to the side so they could see her spray cans and professional paints and heard a collective _Ohhh_.

“Today, half of the room will see the intricacies of finger painting, while the others will study the complexity of tagging a wall. For that, our wonderful Dizzy,” Mal pointed at her and with momentum Dizzy got up and smiled at everyone. "Did the honour of finding old pamphlets to stick on the wall so we could paint on them."

Mal had brought her paintings in the hope that she could leave her mark, as she had the habit of doing every time she arrived at a new place. She even had her own symbol to accompany it with her name in the streets, and if you found a work signed by dracarys with two opposing dragons that formed (not very conveniently) a heart, you knew that had been her responsibility.

That had changed, like many other things, over the days, and the more she became attached to the place (and other things), the less she wanted to ruin it. When Dizzy asked for her help, Mal knew that this was the right time to put her utensils to use. She didn't mind spending them, it's not like she couldn't ask her father to buy her more in exchange for not having to keep his stipulated visits.

"Calmly and one by one, take one colour or two, and go to your places. Then we will rotate the colours so that everyone has the possibility of creating different and unique things, so don't waste them. Yes, Simon, I'm looking at you.” The boy who was known for taking extra things even when he didn't need them smiled at her demonically but guardedly, as if he really were going to listen to her. Upon learning his story (Ursula made a deal with her mother; the boy could go to camp for free only on the condition that the boy went every year. Apparently, they were a family with limited possessions in their home, even when his mother had two jobs. And that's why he felt the need to gorge himself on everything.) Instead of avoiding it, Mal tried to joke around, so Simon could face his situation without making it traumatic.

It’s been 45 minutes since the class had started, and Mal was already open-mouthed. It's amazing what a child can do when instead of cutting off their wings, you encourage them to fly.

Spray paint, an activity that many avoided because it was very demonized by vandalism, made those who were not friends talk to each other to give tips on how to hold the cans and how much pressure had to be applied to make the stroke thin and smooth. 

The others were having the moment of their lives, colouring in their folders with their paintings. Some had even filled their sheets with colours, so they proceeded to start painting their faces and arms. Mal could easily have stopped them, but where was the fun in that?

"Oh my god" Mal secretly hated the fact that she recognized that voice immediately. "What have you created"

Despite the disaster, Mal couldn't help but smile. “Little Michelangelo’s! You should be happy with this progress.”

"Michelangelo hated to paint," said Uma.

"And they don't, it's perfect. It’s like having my small army of Renaissance painters. But you know, better.”

They both laughed, and Mal finally approached the threshold of the door where Uma was leaning on, watching how everything unfolded. Her braids were up in a half ponytail, exposing her face. Shamefully, Mal realized that was the type of hairstyle she preferred most in her when nothing hindered her work of admiring her face.

"A bird told me that you were not at breakfast today."

"That was not a bird, it was a dog and his name is Gil”

"Whatever. Can I ask why?"

“I accidentally fell asleep. Came here on time though, so there is no need to worry.”

"I see you have everything under control" Uma pointed to the kids still playing.

"Surprisingly, that’s right.”

"I never doubted you." Mal ignored how that made her feel. "But you still have to eat, so here you go." Uma offered her a sandwich of what appeared to be jam and peanut butter.

"Is that delicacy for me?"

"Made by Louis especially for you. You can't go running around without eating, and we still have to wait a few more hours for lunch.”

"Thank you” Mal grabbed it and took a bite. “Hey, wait, you said that Gil was the one who told you I wasn’t there, didn't you go either?”

“No,” Uma crossed her arms against her chest again. “I was talking to my mom about paperwork until a little while ago. Nothing important, but we had to catch up.”

Which meant that Uma had found the boys and when she didn’t see Mal with them, she asked for her, made her something to eat and went to look for her.

"I don't want to interrupt you too much, I’ll let you finish what you have to do," Uma said, and before Mal could tell her that she wasn’t bothering her, she closed the door behind her.

Celia looked at her with a smile that Mal didn't like at all. "Get back to your thing, demon child. You’re not finished.” Celia returned to her drawing, but she didn't stop smiling. Mal took another bite and decided to ignore the situation again. 

———

The lights had already been turned off, and the only thing keeping her company was the incredibly reassuring music of the crickets outside her cabin. Mal might’ve gotten used to getting up early, but something she still couldn't control was when she went to sleep. Maleficent always told her it was because she kept playing with her phone, but the truth was much simpler: her mind wouldn't leave her alone.

Over the years, she had learned to ignore it, but she couldn't stabilize her sleeping schedule, not even here. So, at one in the morning, she was still wearing her headphones, creating a playlist to listen to the next day in her next class with the kids. If she ignored the fact that she hated kids, the little monsters were actually fine, to be little humans. They had earned a tiny spot in her heart that even made her excited for what they were going to do tomorrow.

She was about to add _the greatest by Raleigh Ritchie_ when a rock hit her window, breaking it into a thousand pieces. Her phone fell on her face hurting her eye as she screamed. A hand darted to her mouth, straining her, and Mal was about to punch whoever had entered, if not because she opened her good eye and a familiar figure looked at her with regret.

"Uma?" She asked confused, not understanding what she was doing there. Uma had been the one who’d thrown the rock? Mal looks at her more closely and her expression radiates pure guilt. "It was you!" What the hell were you thinking?" Uma's hand was still over her mouth, muffling her words.

"Sorry, sorry! That wasn’t supposed to happen,” Observing the disaster on the floor, Uma's guilt grew with each sudden movement she made to see if she had hurt Mal, causing her to scream. “In movies it always works, I never thought I was going to break the fucking window! Are you okay?"

A little irritated without being able to help it, Mal slapped Uma’s hands off her. "I'm fine, but that could’ve ended very badly." Mal reached out to turn on the light, but Uma reached behind her and turned it off. "Can you tell me what the hell you're doing? What's going on? And it better be worth it.”

"I promise it's worth it, just stop making noise"

"Says the girl who fucking broke my window!"

"It was an accident! I already admitted it, okay?” Mal grumbled, but Uma didn't care, since she was busy showing her a pair of keys that, _Mal could only assume_ , were very important.

"Did you create a domestic air conditioner in my cabin to show me your new keychain?" Mal said, not impressed.

"It's not the keychain, it's the keys." It still made no sense, so Mal raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "You remember that there’s a pool, right? But we’re only allowed to use it under supervision on weekends and at the end of the camp. Well,” Uma waved the keys as they took on a new meaning. "That ends today."

Understanding what she was trying to say, Mal wrapped her hands around the keys, while Uma smiled at her in a satisfied way that Mal had already gotten used to, and it only could mean that things were going the way she wanted.

For weeks, Mal asked her if they could use the pool, but Uma always replied that it wasn’t the time. Mal didn't know what had changed, but she didn't care.

“Let’s fucking do this” She didn't think about it too much, she just grabbed a towel and took Uma's hand to get out of there. Uma let herself be guided, naturally. 

Even when the pool was considerably far from the cabins, if you paid attention it was easy to hear that someone was there, Mal realized, because as they got closer, the noise of people inside the place was noticeable. Thinking about how the last party they'd attended had ended, Mal stopped dead in her tracks, causing Uma to crash into her back.

"Are you sure that...?"

"Relax, it's not a community party." Gently, Uma encouraged her to keep walking by placing a hand on her lower back. "It’s Harry and Gil."

"Oh, I can deal with them."

Uma took the door handle and opened the door. Chlorine and humidity made Mal's skin damp and her hair stood up (Swimming wasn't going to be healthy for her hair at all but worrying about that wasn't a priority). Harry and Gil were already inside the pool, doing tricks to see who could only support themselves with their hands in the water, and they couldn’t stop laughing when they saw how they failed.

"Ah, Mal, at last you bless us with your presence!" It was rare to see Harry in such a good mood, or even see him speak to her at all because he usually pretended like Mal didn’t exist, but the smile on his face was welcomed for the night.

"I would’ve come earlier if you guys hadn't come looking for me as a last resort." She threw her things in the corner and took off her slippers.

"None of that," Uma interrupted before Harry could say whatever stupid thing he was forming in his mind. "They just don't know how to wait.”

"The raccoon has a weakness for water. Who would’ve thought?” As she sat on the edge of the pool, Mal put her legs in the water. The hot contact with her skin did wonders for her stress, and she couldn't thank herself enough for being able to experience that. Silently, Uma sat next to her, but unlike her, she only put one of her legs in the water, since with the other she supported her chin to look at the boys.

"Who are you calling raccoon?" Harry splashed Mal water but barely got her, since he was too far away to reach her. 

"I'm going to assume that you haven't looked in the mirror and that you haven't noticed that you still have makeup on." Mal pointed to her eyes and Harry brought his hand to where she was pointing, and the black eyeliner just made his fingers turn black. Rather than getting angry, Harry's smile grew even bigger.

"Who cares? I'm not going to die from it and that's enough for me.” Watching him float in the water, Mal realized that it wasn’t an empty phrase but a way of life for Harry. "Gil, be a peach and hand me the alcohol”

"Sorry Harry, but there’s no alcohol this time"

Harry’s ecstasy bubble was burst as he sank into the water. "I hope you're joking," he said when he finally surfaced.

"Do I have to remind you, Harry, that this little trip was planned an hour ago?” Uma almost sounded bored, unfaced by Harry’s anger. “Because I will remind you that it was. I barely had time to take the keys from Ursula's room.”

“We’re going to have to do something about it. Gil, come with me.” Pushing himself with his arms, Harry stepped out of the water, grabbing a towel to dry himself but not bothering to put on more clothes, even if the night was freezing. Boys were weird.

"Why should I go?" Gil looked comfortable in the water, Mal couldn’t blame him. 

"I need you to watch my back, come on"

Snorting, Gil got out of the water too and followed him out.

Now they were alone, and Mal didn’t take it for granted that the discomfort she might’ve felt before had vanished. They could not talk and just wait, and it still wouldn’t be uncomfortable, because something in Uma's presence reassured Mal.

"I think it's the first time that I see your arms without a net shirt”

Unconsciously, Mal looked at her own arms and realized that it was true, because they were uncomfortable to sleep and she was still wearing the tank top of her pyjama’s.

"Do my bare shoulders get your pulse up?" Mal teased, bumping her shoulder into Uma's.

"I would say yes, but the worm on your arm is too distracting"

"Excuse me, worm?" Mal screamed in false offense, as she stroked her tattoo protectively, as if she wanted to cover the dragon's ears so that it wouldn’t hear the cruel words. “Bambi is a ruthless and bloodthirsty creature, not a dirty earthworm. You better apologize."

"Please," Uma closed her eyes as she bit her lips and smiled. "Tell me that you haven’t named your tattoo Bambi."

"I have nothing to be ashamed of, that movie is a classic."

"I think I'd rather have a tattoo of a fawn than that amorphous snake."

"Hey," Mal pouted. "Now you're only being mean."

Uma touched Mal’s lips to remove the expression from her face. "The lines are wrong; the shading is lousy, and the movement is not realistic" Mal slapped her hands away.

"As if you know about tattoos.”

"I know one or two things."

"Well, at least I don’t have someone else’s name tattooed." She might’ve not gotten it legitimately, but that dragon was Mal’s baby and she wasn't going to let anyone insult it. She knew they were joking, but that tattoo was the first symbol of freedom she’d been able to obtain on her own. Whether it was good or bad, Mal loved it.

But Uma said, "Yes, you beat me there."

There was something in the way Uma replies that caught her attention. "Huh?"

"Do you remember Audrey?" Mal nodded. “Once we got so drunk that we ended up getting tattoos.”

She couldn't help but open her mouth in surprise. "No way."

"Yep." Uma stretched out her leg in front of Mal, showing her the small rose on her ankle.

"That's a good stick and poke job." How a couple of black lines could carry so much negative connotation was unbelievable for Mal, and she felt bad for Uma, for having to carry that constant reminder of Audrey and how they had ended up.

"No respected artist would tattoo someone drunk, so we had to improvise. It’s not her name but it means the same thing."

"You never thought of covering it?"

"For what? It will go with time; everything goes away with time. Nothing really lasts.” Realizing that she revealed more than she wanted to reveal, Uma scratched her neck and added, “And, um, I don't believe in mistakes. She was very important to me, and while she turned out to be a soulless bitch, I don't regret what I've done for her because I loved her, even when she demanded a lot of me without giving me anything in return.”

"I understand what you're saying. At home I have this group of friends, and they are great, like, don't get me wrong, but I don't think they understand one hundred percent how I feel most of the time. I always try to hide how suffocated I feel, and... it's difficult. I don't blame them, it’s not their fault, and yet them being so perfect all the time gives me an unconscious burden of being perfect too, a burden that I'm not interested in at all, and that irritates me, makes me want to destroy everything.” Mal wanted to distract Uma and make her feel like what she said wasn't a big deal so she wouldn't feel embarrassed, but the truth was that Mal really understood her. It was a horrible feeling, and no one should have to bear it alone.

"Is that why you are always defensive with others?"

If someone else had asked her that, Mal would’ve insulted them. But coming from Uma, she answered honestly. "Something like that. It’s not being defensive, it’s like a warning sign. Don’t get too close, because I’m not what you’ve been told that I am, you’ll be disappointed and you’ll end up leaving, like everyone else.”

"I see."

“Enough of this talk,” Not that she won't appreciate it, but she didn't really come here to talk about her feelings and wanted to make the most of the pool. "Let's get into the water, we’ve come here for something."

"I agree." Uma got up next to her and took off the shirt and shorts she was wearing. Mal wasn't an idiot, she had noticed that Uma had a sculptural body, after all, she spent all her summers helping her mother to carry thousands of things from one place to the other so that everything could be perfect in the camp. It didn't matter if she wanted it or not, she was going to have a good physique. But seeing it made her mouth go dry, because _holy fuck_ , Uma was beautiful in every way. Her strong shoulders gave her a strong figure, her biceps were far from delicate, and her legs looked like they could crush someone's skull. In conclusion, Mal was drooling.

"What, aren't you going to come?" Uma said, enjoying the stupefied look on Mal's face, and plunged with perfect synchronicity into the water, like a professional.

"Sure" Said Mal, although there was no one who could hear her. She didn’t bother to take off her shirt because she wasn’t wearing a bra, so more calmly, she followed Uma.

Once her head re-emerged to the surface, she found herself face to face with Uma, as if she’d been waiting for her, although she knew it wasn't the case. A few moments ago, she was calm, but now the closeness made Mal shiver, so she said the first thing that came to mind.

"Let's play a game."

"A game?" Uma wiped the water from her eyes.

"Let's see who can hold their breath the longest."

"You realize that you're going to lose, right? I have played this a thousand times since I was a kid”

"Stop trying to ruin the fun and play along."

"All right. On the count of three."

"One,"

"Two,"

"Three."

Mal pinched her nose and pushed herself down, while Uma kept her eyes open for as long as she could. The chlorine wasn't very strong, Mal could probably do it too, but she was afraid of what she might see under the calm blanket of water. She knew what she could find, but was she ready to actually find it?

Her hand brushed against what she understood to be Uma's waist and she ran out of air, her lungs failed even when only a few seconds had passed, and she had to go out looking for oxygen. Mal knew that Uma could ‘ve won, but so as not to make her feel bad, she came out with her. 

"What's wrong, the dragon is afraid of water?"

Something told Mal that Uma wasn't talking about her tattoo. "Nothing scares her."

"Then let's test that theory. On the count of three again,”

"One," Mal said, clenching her fists and gathering courage.

"Two," Uma said calmly, as her eyes shone as bright as the illuminated water around them.

"Three." They said in unison, while at the same time going to another dimension. This time, Mal opened her eyes, and wasn't surprised to see Uma watching her expectantly. The dim light of the place was distorted underwater, creating small aqua rays that crossed all over Uma’s face, enhancing the natural colour of her eyes and lips. Mal looked directly at Uma's lips. They were half open, but no air passed through them. Her finger itched with the need to delineate them, to feel them in her. It was there where she realized that she wanted to kiss Uma, that she had wanted to kiss her for a long time. She thought in her own words, _nothing really lasts._ Could they be the exception? Mal didn’t know, but there, admiring her in her full glory and element, she made a promise to herself that whatever happens, she would try to make them be. It sounded like a dream, it tasted like a damnation.

She let herself be carried away by what her body and mind asked, and placed her hand on Uma's waist, where she had brushed her before, but this time she didn’t remove her hand. The water made it so much easier and more majestic to be able to bring her closer to herself, and Uma's braids danced without gravity around both of them. Uma must’ve felt the same, because she placed her hand on her cheek, and that was all Mal needed to collide her lips with hers.

That small but great first contact was even more wonderful than she could ever have imagined. Uma's lips were soft against hers, as they followed her dance. She let out a low moan as Uma’s teeth nipped at her bottom lip, the struggle for control constant between them. 

At some point she replaced her hands with her legs and hung on Uma, trying to close any distance they had. Uma, in response, kept a firm grip on her legs to steady her in place. Her world turned upside down in a matter of seconds, and Mal hugged the sweet change.

Uma brought them to the surface, but even when the cold air covered them once more, they never lost the contact they had achieved. Mal didn't realize that Uma was walking until she felt her back hit the edge of the pool, and she gave a sound of satisfaction when she realized that Uma was looking for exactly the same thing as her, which made her kiss her even with more enthusiasm.

It was so stupid, that a gesture like a kiss made her feel like exploding from all the emotions it could cause her, but it was happening, and she couldn't help it. Even when she wasn’t on the ground, Uma kept her anchored, and what a funny analogy that was. Everything made a little more sense, everything became clear, and at the same time, nothing else mattered than the girl who was holding her. She had searched for this for a long time, someone to make her feel something and to increase the flames that were in her soul, and her time had come. Mal wouldn’t have preferred it to have been anyone other than Uma.

After what felt like forever, they broke apart, but Mal kept her forehead pressed against Uma’s.

"I'm glad we got that out of the way," Uma whispered against her skin.

Mal thought the same thing, and the happiness of the moment didn’t stop her from smiling, so she pressed a grin into Uma’s shoulder.

"Hey, I know this is not the time, but your hair is disintegrating" Mal lifted her head and looked at her own body. Affirmatively, tiny purple-tinged drops were sliding down her body into the water. _Fuck it, who wants purple hair when you’re kissing the girl of your dreams?_

"Maybe I should get out."

"Yeah, maybe you should."

They both stayed quiet, they didn’t make any movement, they just stared at each other, until this time, Uma moved forward and kissed her again. This time the kiss was slow, so she could appreciate every little detail that the moment offered, with her thin fingers tangling their way into Mal’s hair, and it was a dizzyingly sweet display of affection that was rifling with her emotions. When Mal pulls away again, Uma has a lovesick smile and a dazed expression that Mal knows mirror her own.

She can’t wipe the smile off of her face, even though her cheeks are sore from constantly battling her stoic expression, and it was all because of Uma. That realization just made her smile grow even wider.

The door opened, showing Harry and Gil coming in, who each brought a bottle of vodka. Mal expected that now that the boys were back, Uma would move away from her, but if anything, Uma moved closer to her, just turning her head to recognize they were there too and nothing else. No, Mal didn’t have butterflies in her stomach, she had real breathing fire dragons fluttering and burning her from within.

For some strange reason, the boys didn't seem surprised at what they found, but still they both had very different reactions. On the one hand, Gil seemed even more amused than before, throwing himself as a bomb in the pool, as he took a sip from his bottle and put a cork in it and let it float in the water. On the other hand, Harry’s good mood seemed to have faded, and now his gaze was deathly, sharp. He also took a sip from his bottle, but didn't go back into the pool, even when Gil and Uma tried to push him. Mal wasn't going to let his temper ruin the beautiful night she was having, but she could tell that it did affect Uma. 

Out of nowhere, Harry simply announced that he was going back to sleep, but when they all returned to their bedrooms, Gil texted Uma to tell her that Harry wasn’t in his bed. They didn't worry too much about it though, because Harry was far from the self-destructive boy he used to be. Although Uma did seem slightly worried, she also seemed to perfectly understand the origin of his tantrum. 

But that night, Mal ignored all the external sound of the others, she only had eyes and time for Uma, so when Uma walked her to her room, Mal didn't let her go. She led Uma to her bed and they laid together like puzzle pieces, one on top of the other, and there was something about feeling Uma's arms around her and being able to hear Uma's heartbeat that made Mal have the most pleasant night of rest of her short life.

_I won’t be like her, Uma. I won’t let you let me be_ , Mal thought, as she slipped into a deep sleep.


	5. half in the shadows, half burned in flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi!! sorry it's been a couple weeks but we're back!!!!!  
> there's only one more chapter after this, but we have a feeling it's gonna be a hefty one if this chapter is anything to go by!! this one is kinda funny too, so we hope you like it :)
> 
> side note: we both wrote this one together, so make sure you go check out sea_dragon (val) on ao3 as she's released her first fic there too <3 
> 
> as always, our playlist for this fic is; https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5W7oXWwTejdeovyaidhZdr?si=hGT0duM5TNyDvcT8bQglAw
> 
> and our twitters are @mvlficent (me) @dabisvoid (val)
> 
> enjoy xoxoxo

“So, you’ve _never_ been kayaking before this?”

“Gee, was it that obvious?” 

Mal pulls a sarcastic face toward Uma, bringing up a strawberry to her lips. She holds eye contact with Uma, her eyes narrowing like a challenge, and takes a slow bite. The look in her eyes does something to Uma’s stomach, and as much as she hates to lose, this one goes to Mal. She looks down at the sand, clearing her throat and willing her heart to _please, just slow the fuck down, there are_ children _around._

Uma looks up at the ocean’s horizon, her hands feeling the hot sand beneath her. It was comforting being by the sea, for it was her safe place, the only place where everything else just seemed to go away. She was so stoked when it was the stingrays turn for the week of water sports and activities. Dizzy had been named stingray captain this year, and so when they’d stopped for lunch, the younger girl had organised the young campers into a neat huddle along the coast to eat, leaving Mal and Uma the freedom to be able to sit a little ways away from the kids. Dizzy had clearly thought they needed it, Mal may be super-hot in Uma’s eyes, but she looked nothing short of _ridiculous_ trying to teach kids to kayak, flailing around trying not to tip her own kayak. Uma had been surprised that Mal had even been able to swim after _that_ night, but maybe this was asking too much. They didn’t have lakes in big cities, after all. 

It had been a few weeks since _that_ night, and while Uma and Mal were nowhere near close to putting a label on what they were, there had definitely been a shift in their dynamic. They did things just the two of them, snuck out past hours, went back to the pool (many, _many_ times). Uma swears that she catches Mal watching her sometimes, but as soon as she looks back at those purple eyes (which, to her amusement, she had found out were cheap contacts from the same store as Mal’s hair dye), Mal just snapped her head away, almost as if it was an admission of weakness to keep eye contact when she wasn’t in control. Uma had noticed a few quirks of Mal’s like this, and it makes Uma wonder if she has her own shit, her own Audrey (if you wanted to put it like that). The thought that she’d shared such a private part of herself with the other girl while Mal had kept secrets of her own makes Uma squirm, but she knows better than to pry. Uma, out of everyone, knows what it’s like for your dirty laundry to be aired out for everyone to see, without your permission. (She had Chad _asshole_ Charming to thank for that.)

It was almost like Mal read her mind.

“How’s Harry holding up?” she asks, her tone light, licking a drop of strawberry juice that was dripping down her wrist. Uma feels her throat dry up; she doesn’t even know if Mal is trying at this point.

A counsellor from the sharks had been injured two weeks ago, which meant that Chad was on his own with the oldest group of kids, so Ursula had made the executive decision to put Harry with the Sharks, so that one of the lesser experienced counsellors could take up guppies with Gil. Uma had stayed clear of Harry that day, to say you could _feel_ his rage from across the camp was an understatement. 

“It’s safe to say he’s not. He hasn’t _stopped_ going on about how annoying Chad is, or how infuriating he is, or how selfish, or how arrogant, or how-”

Mal cuts Uma off, laughing and touching her arm lightly. It makes Uma shiver. Harry had been stand-offish with Mal since they’d walked back in at the pool, and everyone had noticed. Mal had even already asked about it.

_“Did I like, do something to Harry? All of a sudden, it’s like I killed his pet dog or something.”_

_Uma had laughed and shook her head; they were sitting on the rock where they’d had their first conversation after they’d sent their campers to sleep. Uma looked down at Mal, into the weird shade of purple that seemed to change every couple of days and smiled._

_“It’s just a protective thing. Don’t take it personally.”_

_Seemingly accepting that as good enough, Mal had closed the distance between them, and not another word was said on the matter._

“We could go and pay him a visit before dinner if you wanted?” Mal asks, drawing pictures in the sand. They look like little dragons to Uma, probably what Mal was trying to go for first place when she tattooed Bambi the worm along her arm. They’re cute, though.

“Yeah, actually, I haven’t seen him at all lately. I think Chad and Harry must’ve worn each other out, I haven’t seen either of them at dinner all week.” 

Uma, Harry, and Gil were usually inseparable, but because she’d been spending so much time with Mal, it had taken her a while to notice the younger boy’s absence. When she’d asked Gil about it a few days earlier, he’d shrugged and not known either. Now she thought about it, it _was_ really unlike Harry to miss mealtimes. Not to mention, they’d invited him and Gil to the pool with them again, but Gil had been busy getting to know his new counsellor, and Harry had mumbled something nondescript and run off. It makes Uma feel weird, like they’re drifting or something, and she has to keep telling herself otherwise. Still, she hasn’t seen him lately and it would be nice to check in on the whiny shit. She nods, her fingers reaching out to draw spikes on the back of Mal’s dragons, which rewards her with a small smile pulling at the edge of Mal’s lips, so momentary that Uma almost misses it.

“We’ll definitely go check on him.”

~

Dizzy had called them back not long after, and they’d spent the rest of the afternoon teaching the kids in the double kayaks on navigating and steering. By ‘they’, Uma meant that she had taught Mal _and_ the campers how to do these things, because Zeus knew Mal was _useless._ She didn’t want to get wet, she kept leaning too much to one side, she couldn’t even read a _map_ , and as much as Uma enjoyed her company, she’d wanted to push the purple haired girl out of the boat and carry on rowing. Once Mal had actually gotten the hang of things though, it became more bearable, and the afternoon was enjoyable, despite the hot Pennsylvanian sun beating down on them. Uma had made sure all the campers had used their sun lotion after they ate, and she’d had to bribe Mal to put some on too, like a _child._ Uma swore she was the only counsellor sometimes; Mal had actually _whined_ about protecting her pale-as-fuck skin.

“But _you_ aren’t putting that much on!”

“I’ve worked here my whole _life,_ Mal, my skin is pretty used to it. You could say you were Snow White, and no one would bat an eyelid.”

Mal had crossed her arms and stropped at that, and Uma had given her a _look._ Uma wasn’t one to be overly bold, she was usually pretty easy going, but Mal had found her ways of pushing Uma’s buttons and getting under her skin. Uma smirked at her, raising an eyebrow, as if to say _try it, I dare you,_ and Mal had gone pink, taken the bottle from Uma, and slathered herself in sun lotion without another word. It made Uma roll her eyes, she _loved_ it.

They’d sent the stingrays back to their cabins to get ready for dinner and were now walking up the hill towards the counsellor’s cabins. The two girls were walking closely together, not quite touching but close enough that if one of them moved their hand just a fraction, their fingers would brush. Uma was fucking _cool goddamn it,_ but right now she felt like a schoolgirl with her first crush. She was older than Mal by like one or two years, but apparently her brain was just ignoring that fact. (Not that she’d let Mal see that side of her yet, she still had her dignity and reputation to uphold. If anyone got wind that the camp owner’s daughter was _soft,_ they’d start trying to take advantage of her instantly. There would go her edge.)

“So, what was the verdict on my performance?”

Uma barks out a laugh, which Mal widens her eyes at. 

“Mal, some of the _kids_ got it more than you did.”

That earns Uma a shove, which she blocks by grabbing Mal’s hand, and they’re suddenly face to face in the middle of the path. Mal is smirking up at Uma, her eyes wide with a mix of shock and anticipation, and her nose inches away from Uma’s, her breath held. They’re standing halfway up the hill, underneath a clearing of trees, and everything around them is golden in the sunset. 

“Bambi got your tongue?” Uma grins, her hand still wrapped around Mal’s small wrist.

In response, Mal leans forward and catches Uma’s mouth against hers with force. It makes Uma stumble back a bit, not expecting the force from such a small human. Their hands drop down now, but are still linked, and Uma’s free hand winds itself around the nape of Mal’s neck, squeezing slightly while she deepens the kiss. Mal’s hand grips Uma’s elbow, and holds it tight. This feels like a special moment, they haven’t had a kiss like this since their first, and Mal’s mouth feels warm against her own in the cool evening air, and she tastes faintly of sugar. Uma savours every second of it until they pull away. Mal looks straight into Uma’s eyes, and for a second it makes her feel vulnerable, until a shit-eating grin appears over Mal’s face.

“No, but apparently I just got yours.”

This time, it’s Uma’s turn to shove Mal, and they carry on walking. Uma doesn’t say anything when Mal takes her hand, she just squeezes, and feels a squeeze back.

~

“Harry?”

Uma lifts her hand to knock on the wooden door of Harry’s cabin, and taps lightly against it. She doesn’t hear anything for a moment, and her and Mal exchange a glance.

“Maybe he’s sleeping?” Mal offers, unhelpfully. Uma shakes her head slightly.

“At six in the evening? Harry doesn’t nap, he’s too wired for that.”

Mal takes it upon herself to step out from behind Uma, and bang loudly against the door, almost taking it from its hinges. For such a small human, there was some _force_ in those punches, and the door groans in protest.

“ _Harry, get your ass out here!”_ Mal shouts through the wood, making a group of counsellors around a picnic table nearby look up at her with sour looks. Uma grimaces at them, holding up a hand in apology.

“He’s probably not in, let’s just-”

Uma’s cut off by a loud thump and the sound of scuffling on the other side of the door. Mal and Uma exchange a more puzzled look this time, and Uma rattles the doorknob. 

“Harry? Is everything okay?”

More crashing follows, mixed with what sounds like thumping against the floorboards and, _is that another voice? Does he have someone in there? Is someone hurting him?_

Uma’s eyes are wide, and she rattles the door again.

“Harry, I’m coming in!” Mal raises an eyebrow at Uma, the corner of her mouth pulling into a small smile.

“It’s locked from the inside.”

Uma pulls out her master keys from her back pocket, and throws a wink towards Mal.

“Perks of being the owner’s daughter.”

Mal rolls her eyes in response.

“Of course, how could I forget?”

Uma slips the key into the door, and it opens with a _click._

 _“No!_ Wait, I’ll be-”

Uma stands in the doorway, her jaw on the floor.

“ _Chad?”_

In front of her is the last thing she would _ever_ expect to see, and the last thing she ever _wants_ to see; Chad Charming, without clothes, wrapped up in Harry’s sheets, with Harry half out of bed, half pulling on his trousers, his hair sticking up every which-way.

“Oh my _God, you’re fucking kidding me!_ ” Mal’s at Uma’s side now, her high-pitched laughter ringing in the room, while the rest of them are looking at each other, all deer stuck in different headlights. Uma wants the ground to swallow her whole.

“This is the best thing that could’ve happened to me today,” Mal wipes actual _tears_ from her eyes, (trust her not to be awkward during a time like this), and is practically doubling over from laughter, all the while Harry is growing more and more red by the minute.

Seemingly regaining his composure, or out of sheer embarrassment, Harry pulls up his trousers fully and grabs a shirt from the floor, pulling it over his head. 

“Yeah, okay, _laugh it up._ It’s so hilarious. _”_

“It _is,_ I knew you were complaining about him too much. The sexual tension obviously got to be too much for you.”

Chad speaks up now. Uma had almost forgotten he was there; he hadn't moved since they burst in so gently on the two boys.

“I mean, he couldn’t resist me. Look at me.”

“Do you ever _stop?”_ At that, Harry picks up Chad’s polo shirt and launches it at him, hitting Chad square in the face with the yellow fabric. Chad’s face just twists into a grin smug as he pulls the shirt over his head and gets out of bed.

“No!” Mal and Uma shout at the same time, turning in on each other. The counsellors were all close, but they weren’t _that_ close. (Uma doesn’t think she’ll _ever_ be able to remove that image, it’s now _burnt_ into her mind now.)

“Relax, relax, I’m decent now.”

Both girls tentatively look round and let out sighs of relief. This summer was just getting weirder and weirder by Uma’s standards, and less and less like the chilled-out summer she had initially started out wanting. (What was worse, was she couldn’t tell if that was a good or bad thing anymore.)

Mal clears her throat, her left eyebrow raised high, the purple glinting in the few rays of light peeking through Harry’s curtain. It smells like boys in here, Uma realises now her attention is refocused, and it makes her scrunch her nose up.

“Don’t you two like, hate each other?”

Both boys shrug non-committedly, their eyes at the floor. Words are failing Uma, she’s standing mute next to Mal. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen both boys so _quiet,_ and not at each other’s throats.

“So, what, are you two like, dating now? Is that why you’ve been disappearing?”

Uma has never seen Harry look anything even close to shy, even when he was a scared kid getting into fights all those years ago, the most she’d ever seen him was apathetic. But now, his cheeks flushed, and hair mussed, the glint in his eyes _baffled_ her. Chad and Harry exchanged glances, _looks_ , that you couldn’t even begin to understand what they represented unless you knew them both well. (Which, unfortunately, she did.)

“You’ve been _screwing?”_

Mal snorts loudly, and now Chad is beating Harry on the redness front. 

“Always so eloquent, Uma.” 

“You two were ripping each other’s throats out when you were paired together literally a few weeks ago, so excuse me for being confused.”

“Yeah, but now they’re ripping each other’s clothes off.” Mal sniggers again, starting off a whole new wave of laughter from the purple haired girl. Uma prays to _Zeus, Poseidon, and every God of every element, that they give her the strength to not strangle Mal on the spot here and now._

“ _Not_ that it’s any of your business, Pixie, but-”

Mal bristles at Chad’s tone, or maybe it’s the fact that he just compared her with her piercings and purple eyebrows to a woodland creature, and Uma touches Mal’s arm lightly, holding out her other to Chad. She’s not letting this escalate, she’s the only sane one in a room full of hot-headed and hormonal supposed _adults._

“Okay, guys, chill out. We’ll leave you guys to it. For now.” She shoots a meaningful look straight at Harry, which he catches and understanding glints in his eyes instantly. She wants _answers._

“No need, I gotta go get ready for dinner anyway. Looking this good take time.”

Chad searches the floor, presumably for his belongings, and lets out a small hum when he spots them. He slips on his boat shoes, picks up his bag, and then proceeds to walk over to Harry, and unabashedly plants a kiss on his cheek, causing Harry to burn up even more. Uma can admit it’s a funny sight, even if it kinda grosses her out. Apparently satisfied with the situation, Chad brushes past Uma and Mal out of the door.

“See you losers later.”

~

“But _Chad?”_

Gil’s dismay was clear, even through the mouthful of linguine he was slurping up. Harry still hadn’t showed up to dinner, and Uma wasn’t about to lie and say that she hadn’t half expected it. His pride was probably smarting, the best move was to let him come to them. 

“You can’t tell him I’ve told you, though. Or tell anyone else. Only me and Mal know. He’d kill me.” He wouldn’t, and Uma knows that it’s only a matter of time until Gil found out anyway, but Uma still knew that it wasn’t cool. Harry had never shown interest in _anyone,_ let alone a boy, and Uma wasn’t about to out her best friend. No fucking way. It wasn’t that Harry hadn’t had options, believe it or not girls threw themselves at him, he was _extremely_ attractive, in a Tumblr sort of way - similar to Mal. If Uma weren’t as gay as they come, she’d probably find him attractive too. 

“I won’t, I promise. Where is Mal, anyway?”

That was a good point.

“I don’t know, I dropped her off after kayaking and she said she’d meet me here. Maybe she fell asleep.”

They both shrugged and kept eating. The menu tonight was pasta, and it was carb heaven, _exactly_ what Uma and the kids needed after the exhausting day they’d had. She’d made sure to seek out Dizzy and Celia before she got her plate and tell them how amazing they had been that day, helping organise everyone. She knew the camp had done well in promoting Dizzy as Captain and Celia as her First Mate, the girls were so insanely talented at everything they did. Ursula didn’t like to show favourites, nor did Uma, but they were amongst the camp’s shining stars. 

“So, is there anything happening tonight with the counsellors?” It was a Friday, and usually at the weekends, both the campers and counsellors had freer rein and slacked off a bit, with the counsellors throwing staff parties once the kids were all asleep.

“I think Jonas said he’s having a few people at his cabin tonight, but I think that’s it.”

“Oh, that sounds cool. Are you gonna go?”

“Nah, I’m just gonna hit the hay. It’s been a long day, and we’ve still got a month left to do shit like that. I’m tired, but you go and have fun.”

Gil hums through a mouthful, and they spend the rest of dinner catching up about their respective groups, their partners, and just general chit chat and laughter. Uma had missed Gil the last few weeks, they hadn’t had a chance to talk just the two of them since that kayak fiasco at the beginning of the summer, which wasn’t followed by the nicest of conversations. Usually every summer the trio had spent every minute together, but this summer had felt different, almost _older._ It felt like they’re growing up and meeting new people, which she guesses, they are. Uma knows they would never grow apart, their bond is too strong to be broken, but it’s a weird thing to experience, nonetheless.

People were dropping off their empty plates in the sinks, and slowly filing out of the dining hall now. Once both Uma and Gil are finished, they follow suit and start walking back to the counsellor cabins. Gil sees Jonas and a couple of the other counsellors on the way, and they part ways as he goes with the others. Uma doesn’t mind walking alone, though, the sea breeze is nice, and the evening is cool. 

Uma takes the walk slow, using the time to take in her surroundings and just have some alone time. They were a fair way into the summer, with only a few weeks left of camp. The end of camp meant the end of whatever her and Mal have if they even have anything. Uma wasn’t going to fool herself into thinking the other girl would want to carry this on once she went back to the city, and Uma stayed here. (Even if she wanted to carry this on because she _did.)_ Uma knows she shouldn’t even try to think about it, she should cross that bridge when she comes to it, but it’s hard _not_ to think about it after everything with Audrey. Maybe this attitude was what got her there in the first place, but maybe it was also the fact that Audrey went off to college while Uma stayed here and joined the girl’s fencing team, cheated and got some new hot sword-bearing girlfriend. From what she saw on Facebook, (the first few months were _rough,_ okay?), the girl's name was something weird like, Lana, or Lorna, maybe Lonnie? Whatever. Uma pushes it to the back of her mind, there’s no point in overthinking it, instead making a mental note to text Mal after she showered. 

When she climbs up the steps to her cabin door, she pats her pockets to find them empty. Her master key isn’t there.

“Shit.” she mutters to herself, closing her eyes in frustration. _I must’ve left them in the dining hall,_ she groans inwardly and lets her head flop forward to lean on the door, they’d have closed it all up by now. Uma isn’t one for theatrics, but no one’s around to see this little show. She lets herself have a few moments, then rests her hands on the door to push herself off, but instead the door opens, and she’s pulled inside, to come face to face with shitty purple contacts with emerald flecks peeking through them.

“Mal?” she breathes, completely all-too aware of the fact that she basically _fell_ into the other girl’s arms. She straightens up instantly, clearing her throat, trying to retain at least _some_ of her dignity. Mal grins and holds up Uma’s master key.

“Looking for these?” she dangles them in front of Uma’s eyeline.

“Where did you-”

“Does it matter?” Mal chucks them on Uma’s desk, and steps towards Uma, her arms reaching out for Uma’s waist, her fingers digging into her sides. Uma’s eyes go wide, and she steadies them both by holding onto Mal’s biceps (if you could call them that), and Mal leans up and closes the distance between them, catching Uma in a kiss full of surprising force. That’s the second time today, usually her kisses are slower, shyer. Uma gets the feeling this is all new for Mal.

“Where’s this coming from?” Uma whispers against Mal’s lips, to which Mal smiles back against hers. Mal’s response is to kiss her with even more fervour, breathing heavily, and Uma doesn’t waste time responding. She brings her hands up to cup Mal’s face, matching the other girl’s fire with her own waves. She feels them moving across the room, Mal guiding her until the backs of her knees back onto a hard surface, and she’s pushed down onto an even softer one. Mal follows her down, pinning Uma down, up on all four above her. Uma swears her heart isn’t beating anymore, and it’s not oxygen that’s fuelling her right now.

They break away, and Uma looks up at Mal, gently sweeping a fallen strand of hair behind her ear. If the boys saw her now, being soft, she’d never live it down. (But they weren’t here, and she likes this little fiery pixie more than she cares, or wants, to admit.)

Mal gives Uma a small smile, her eyes crinkled at the edges, and her sharp edges aren’t so sharp anymore. It feels intimate, like new territory for them. It terrifies Uma, so she does the only thing she knows how to, and leans up to crash their lips together again, but Mal places a hand on Uma’s shoulder, steadying her in place. Uma raises an eyebrow.

“You drive, right?”

“Yeah, but what’s that got to do-”

“Let’s go out. Off the campsite.”

Uma’s eyes widen at Mal, her face full of wonder and disbelief at the girl towering over her.

“What’s gotten into you?”

Mal actually _giggles._ “I wanna do something fun.”

“Well, a few of the others are going to Jonas’ cabin for a few drinks if you wanted?”

“ _No._ ” Mal gives Uma a light shove. “I want to do something fun with you.”

Uma narrows her eyes. “Ok, I’m listening.”

“Seeing Harry and Chad today, all spontaneous…. I don’t know, it was kinda hot, don’t you think?”

Uma lets out a huge snort. “Hot is _not_ the word I’d use to describe Chad Charming.”

Mal rolls her eyes. “Whatever.” She brings her lips to Uma’s close enough that Uma can feel them ghost over hers, but not quite all the way. 

“Let’s go out.” Mal breathes, bringing her gaze up through her lashes to look at the older girl pinned beneath her.

“And do what?” Mal grin, her eyes twinkling knowingly, and sits up. She knows she’s won, and both of them know that whatever Mal is about to ask, Uma’s going to follow her like a puppy. (How has she let herself get like this?)

“I don’t know, maybe like, a bar?”

“Aren’t you 19?”

“Isn’t this your hometown?”

Uma purses her lips at that. Mal’s right, the town just along the mountains is quiet, and it’s where she grew up. She was sort of the sweetheart of the town, she helped out with all the store owners when she was younger, babysat for all the families, took part in all the swimming galas at her high school. Even with a fake ID, they’d all turn a blind eye at Mal if she were with Uma.

“Touché. I am friends with the owner of a cute little diner with a very stocked bar, and it’s right by the lake.”

“Then what are we waiting for?”

Uma would never get used to that little glint in Mal’s eyes, it was electric, and it sent currents coursing through her. 

~

The drive through the mountains was gorgeous, they drove right in time for the peak of the Pennsylvanian sunset. They had to take the truck, if Ursula had woken up and her convertible car had gone, the camp wouldn’t have survived her wrath. So, while they couldn’t have the roof down, they had the windows open and Mal had full control of the radio. It was about a forty-minute drive down the mountains and across the high roads to get the town, and Mal spent the majority of it singing and laughing and sticking her head out of the window like a puppy. _It’s like another babysitting job,_ Uma muses to herself. She looks over to Mal, who's got her legs crossed on the dashboard, and catches her staring straight back at her, a look on her face that she can’t quite figure out. 

“What?”

“Nothing. Just, this life suits you. The mountains, the sunsets, the ocean. You look at home.” Uma looks back to the road, and penses over that for a few seconds, and she feels Mal take her hand over the gear stick. She won’t react because they both know that means something.

“It suits you too, y’know. The ice queen has thawed.”

Mal squeezes Uma’s hand tightly and throws her head back in laughter.

“Shut up. How much further is it?”

“About twenty minutes.”

“Okay, that means we have just about enough time for Paramore’s best bits.”

Mal removes her hand from Uma’s to put the CD in, and Uma’s hand yearns at the loss of contact. ( _Fuck.)_

~

Uma knew Mal would love this place.

The owners were close friends of Ursula’s, who had considered becoming a partner before she’d founded Aqua Springs, and so Uma had grown up running around this restaurant in her diapers. She’d had her first legal drink in here. The couple that ran it were away on their summer vacation, but their son had given Uma the biggest hug, and let them walk right through. (Even if he did do a double take at her purple hair, and then threw a wink Uma’s way.)

It was warmly lit, the interior made of warm hues, the furniture cut from the local trees. They were sat by the bar, in a booth by the corner, and music from the jukebox was playing softly. Uma had come to learn that Mal was a huge music fanatic, and so wasn’t all that surprised when the girl all but melted at the sight of the retro jukebox. When Uma told Mal that this place has live bands on a Saturday night, Mal almost fainted.

“I’m going to get you dancing with me tonight.” Mal winked at Uma, popping a fry in her mouth. They’d opted for burgers, and Mal had let Uma order the drinks.

“Oh, god no. You’d have to get me a few more of these before I attempted to scare everyone away with my moves.” Uma laughed, taking a sip of her drink.

“What are these anyway? They’re so strong.” Mal takes a tentative sip, scrunching her nose up as she swallows, and it makes Uma laugh.

“Rum and ginger beer. Don’t you like it?”

“I didn’t say that!” Mal crosses her arms, _she’s literally a child,_ and gives Uma daggers. “I just think I’ll order something a bit sweeter next.”

A playful smile ghosts across her face, and it makes Uma shiver. 

“Don’t you drink in the city? Surely the night life is a bit busier over there?”

Mal’s demeanour shrinks almost in on itself, her back hunched and her eyes down on her plate. Uma senses that something is off straight away, panic building in her chest. She’s about to apologise or change the topic or _something_ when Mal speaks up.

“I just wasn’t really allowed to drink.”

Uma treads carefully. “By your parents?” 

Mal nods. “They’re quite strict. Hence the purple hair and tattoos.”

Uma breathes a light laugh. _Okay, a joke. She’s fine._

“My Mom’s a bit of a control freak if you couldn’t probably tell. Not that I blame her, having a daughter like me.”

“A daughter like you?”

“I guess I’m kind of a fuck up.”

Uma tentatively rests her hand on Mal’s, her eyes hardened.

“No, you’re not. Where is this coming from? Has this got something to do with our bet?”

Mal looks up at that, her eyes puzzled. Then it clicks, and Uma sees the cogs whirring in her mind.

“Yeah. I, uh, I’ve been to like ten different schools. I’ve been arrested once.” She holds a hand up as Uma goes to comment on that, her face amused. 

“But the reason I’m here, is because my Dad-”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.” Uma squeezes Mal’s hand, and she feels an even tighter grip back. Almost like Mal’s holding onto something bigger.

“I want to. You make me feel safe.”

All Uma can do in response is smile and keep holding on.

“My Dad had an affair, and I found out, and he made me promise not to tell my Mom because he was gonna end it. So, I stayed quiet, even though it made me feel _so_ awful.” Uma stays quiet. “But then, one day, I got home from school early and I walked in on them. Six months after he said he’d end it. And to defend himself, he dropped the bombshell that they were in the middle of a divorce anyway, and just hadn’t bothered to tell me. And I-” Mal’s voice is a whisper now. “I lost it. I stole his watch, his jewellery, his fucking _iPad,_ and I sold them.”

Uma raises an eyebrow. “What did you do with the money?”

Mal laughed at that, a genuine laugh. “I got Bambi.”

Uma couldn’t help but snort out a laugh. “Okay, that’s pretty bad. You didn’t even go to a good tattoo artist?”

Mal put her head in her hands and groaned. _“No,_ I went to the first one I could find. I got ripped off. Karma’s a bitch.”

Uma’s stomach is starting to hurt from trying to hold in her amusement, but Mal’s reaction sends her over the edge and she lets out a full-bodied laugh, which Mal joins in with.

“It all happened so quick, okay? The next week I was being shipped off here.”

Uma calms down, wiping the tears from her eyes, momentarily forgetting that this was Mal being vulnerable and opening up. The other girl doesn’t seem to mind though, she seems like she’s seeing the funny side of the story for the first time.

“So, you’ve got shitty parents. My Dad walked out when I was a baby. You’re not alone. We all have our shit, but it’s how you deal with it. You’re doing pretty well.”

“My Mom would say different.”

“Your Mom isn’t _you._ She doesn’t see you like _this.”_

“See me like what?” Uma’s looking right at Mal, studying her face, taking it all in. She’s not buzzed from the rum, she’s only had one, but she feels drunk and all her brain can focus on right now is Mal’s pale skin that isn’t so pale anymore after weeks in the sun, her small sharp brows that raise when she’s being sarcastic, paired with her huge eyes that widen when she’s experiencing something new, and her button nose that scrunches up whenever she doesn’t like something. She moves down and looks at Mal’s plump lips, and both of them are leaning in closer.

“Happy.” 

This kiss isn’t like the others, it’s not hot or heavy or fuelled by fire, instead it’s gentle and sweet and feels more like a calm current than a storm. Mal’s lips are soft against her own, and she tastes of ginger ale and ketchup. But it’s sweet to Uma, and she savours it.

They pull away and Mal smiles, so small yet so bright.

“We’ve only got a few weeks left.”

_I should have known this was coming,_ Uma thinks to herself. She’s got a whole act prepared, but Mal shoots her a look as if she knows what's coming.

“I’m going back to the city, and you’re staying here, right?”

“Mal, I’m not expecting-” she’s cut off.

“Shut up. It’s a good couple of hours drive from here to the city, it took me and my Mom-”

“ _Mal,_ I’m not gonna make you-”

“You know what I _love_ about you, Uma? How you let me finish my sentences.” Mal’s arms are crossed now. Uma locks her jaw shut, and just looks at Mal, letting nothing show.

“I was going to say that the trains are a bit better, and you drive, so even if we leave here not knowing what’s gonna happen, I’d like to know that we’re still gonna see each other. And, and be in each other's lives.”

Uma knits her eyebrows together, her heart hammering. “So, you wanna keep- keep dating?” 

Mal’s eyebrow goes up at the word, but she doesn’t comment on it. 

“Yeah. If you want.”

“Yeah, I do. I do want that.”

“Okay.” Mal nods, her face earnest, and then mischievous. It makes Uma’s head spin.

“Shall we get another drink?”

Uma smiles. That’s a request she just can’t deny.

~

They stumble back into Uma’s room, with Uma the sober designated driver, and Mal _not_ so sober, giggling loudly as Uma tries desperately to stay quiet and not wake up the other cabins.

“You only had two drinks. The second one was a _piña colada,_ of all things.”

Mal laughs again, the sound melodic, and flops down onto Uma’s bed. “It tasted like the perfume you wear.”

Uma grins, and rolls her eyes, and flops down next to Mal, who’s trying to put her phone on charge but failing in her tipsy state.

“Here, I’ll do it.” Uma reaches for the phone and Mal rolls over, sighing content. 

“Do you mind if I shower before we go to bed?”

Uma shakes her head. “No, knock yourself out. There’s a towel hung up on the rack and my toiletries are in the shower.”

Mal smiles and leans over to peck Uma’s cheek. 

“Thank you for tonight. It was so special.”

Uma smiles at Mal’s back as she turns into the bathroom, and she doesn’t even dare to look in the mirror in fear of seeing how goofy and disgustingly happy she looks. 

_She’s going to be the death of me._

Letting herself fall onto the bed, she lay splayed out like a starfish, just taking it all in. Uma gazes at the ceiling, staring at it like it was all of a sudden going to come to life and laugh at the expression on her face. She hadn’t noticed at first, but now that she was paying attention, Uma can feel her lips curving into a small smile. She feels like a blushing schoolgirl. When did she become a teenager again? Apparently, she was now incapable of dealing with her feelings like an adult.

Uma was used to the heat of the sun, sometimes it was her only company in her arduous days at the camp, but not even the summer sunlight could compare to the fire that crackled on the parts of Uma’s skin that Mal touched. It was as if all her senses were alert, her whole-body sensitive to the slightest contact, treasuring it for hours until the next encounter.

And her lips. 

There were times when Uma could swear that the world was beginning and ending on Mal’s lips. Those times when their mouths were coming together and the world stopped spinning, everything made sense. No one has ever made her feel like Mal does. It was like her whole body surrendered to her, and Uma didn’t know exactly why. Mal was stubborn, poorly spoken, had an unbearable attitude most of the time and didn't know when to shut up. But Mal was also understanding, loyal, passionate and, to Uma’s surprise, incredibly kind when she wanted to be.

The shower steam started filling the room, and Uma accepted the humidity that it brought with it. The whole existence of Mal was a walking contradiction.

It's not like Uma had a good relationship to base herself on. Audrey aside, all the adults she knew had had misfortunes in love, even her mother, but what she and Mal had felt good, _safe_. Uma had spent so much time denying herself something as fundamental as the company of another human being after what had happened last summer that she had forgotten that not everyone was out to hurt her. If someone was good to her, it didn’t mean that they were planning to knife her in the back, and seal the coffin shut.

_And yet._

In her stupor, Uma realized that Mal’s phone is still in her hand from where she was plugging it in. She starts to take her hand back to leave the phone on the nightstand when it starts buzzing, and without meaning for them to, the bright words on the screen catch her eye.

**_Mal (19.01)_ ** _Is this why Mal wasn’t at dinner?_

**_I hate it when we fight._ **

**_I hate to see you cry._ **

**_I miss you and I can't wait to see you again._ **

**_Evie (22.23):_ **

**_I really love you._ **

**_And listening to your voice reminded me how much I miss you._ **

**_I can't wait to kiss you again when you come back._ **

Uma reread the words on the screen over and over again, trying to make sense of them. She knew about Evie, Mal had trusted her with that story in one of their many conversations alone. Mal had told her that it hadn’t worked, that it was something that happened on a whim, something insignificant.

Then why was Evie sending her that?

It didn’t matter how much Uma wants to justify it; how can she explain the fact that Evie spoke to Mal like they’d left that phone call as something more than friends? Uma reminds herself of what she thought when Mal sent her voice memos in the middle of the night, and she feels her blood run through a constant cycle of hot and cold.

As they always do with Uma, her thoughts go back to when she found out that Audrey was cheating on her. Life was fun in that sense, because Uma had found out about that in a way not too different than she was now. It feels like a twisted moment of Deja vu. The words _I love you_ sound like a sick joke that leaves a bad taste in her tongue. How many similarities did they share? Mal wasn’t Audrey, Uma knew that, but their actions struck a chord with their similarity, and it was becoming difficult for Uma to interpret who was who.

“I’m coming out! Cover your eyes!” Mal's singing voice was a stark contrast to Uma’s aura, the phone still weighing too heavy in her hand. Uma couldn’t tell if it was the actual words sent that’s getting to her, or the shared feeling coming through in them. For whatever reason, it hurts.

Mal took her clothes to the bathroom, but still walks out only wearing sweatpants and a bra, drying her hair with a towel. Any other time, Uma would’ve admired the view; Mal’s damp hair glued to her face, drops of water still cascading down her body, or the sinful way the sweatpants fit snugly on the damp skin of her legs. 

Mal leaves the towel on the floor, without bothering to hang it in the bathroom. “What is going on? You look like you've seen a ghost.”

Now, all Uma can do is fight the lump in her throat so she can talk.

Uma moves to sit on her forearms and throws the phone across the bed to Mal, where it lands with a light thump in front of the other girl. “You got a text.”

With scrunched brows, a tight-lipped frown, and a crease on her forehead, Mal accepts it. Focusing on Mal’s eyes, digesting words was easier than paying attention to her own reaction, but Uma was only delaying the inevitable.

The text made it clear. While she wasn’t at dinner, Mal was whispering things to this girl, things she’d probably whispered to Uma before. While they were together tonight, this other girl had texted Mal things, _vulnerable_ things. While Mal was in her car, while Mal was in her space, while Mal was running around her mind, was this other girl occupying Mal’s? This other girl she had _history_ with. It makes her stomach turn and makes Uma wonder if she ever actually meant anything to her or whether she was just a game, a fishing prize. Did the purple-haired girl feel something for Evie? Was she playing them both? Was it happening again?

She couldn’t take it anymore. Without warning, Uma headed for the door.

“I’m leaving.”

“No!” Mal throws down the phone to where Uma had been a few seconds ago and runs to grab her from the wrist before she can keep moving. “Umes, it's not what you think.”

Uma can’t help it; a strangled laugh escapes her. “I didn’t take you for a fucking walking cliche, Mal. What’s next? _'it's not you, it's me'_?”

Mal seemingly loses the ability to speak, her mouth opening and closing like a guppy. She recovers quickly. “What? No. You don’t understand that text—”

“I’d say it’s pretty clear, don’t you think so?” The touch Uma once loved now felt like acid on her skin, and Uma pulls her arm to release herself from Mal’s grip as the other girl opens her mouth to retort. “Save your breath. Your girlfriend’s probably waiting for a reply. We don’t want her to worry because you’re taking your time to think of the right words, right?” 

“ _Fuck_ Uma, can you just let me expl—”

“ _Explain?_ Explain what? Explain that you were using me all this time? That you took me as a fucking hobby while your city toy was waiting for you to come back?”

Mal's expression flattens, suddenly looking exhausted, the colour draining from her face. “You’re not being fair.”

Uma’s instincts were telling her to calm down, hear the girl out, but her anger won. Uma wanted to make Mal happy, make _them_ happy, especially after the night they’d had, but her pride got the best of her. The last thing Uma wanted to be was fair.

“It’s not fair that you made me believe that we could be something else, when you had another person waiting for you at home, while you had your little summer fling.”

“I can’t control how Evie behaves! You were never a game for me, Uma. You were never just a fling; you are _so_ much more than-”

“Save it. Don’t even bother.” The anger she had simply disappeared, giving its way to sadness. “I wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt, you know. Don't let your reputation precede you. And in the process, I gave you my confidence, and my trust. I don’t give those out lightly. And you know what? That's not your fault, it's mine. Sometimes I guess, I just can't help being stupid.”

“Uma.” A sob escaped from Mal's lips. “Please, I love you.”

Uma closes her eyes, her blood running cold. That’s the first time Mal has told her that.

“Don’t say that.” She whispers through closed eyes. She opens them and takes her jacket, heading for the door. She falters when she gets to the doorframe, inching herself round to take one last look at Mal. (Or rather, at the floor next to Mal.)

“No one really means it.” Uma didn’t look back. She never realized that she left a heart shattered equally to her own on the way.


End file.
